Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Regarding the commercial rates, the biggest mistake was made in 1977 - over 40 years ago now - when domestic rates were abolished. That was a political decision, I suppose, and local authorities have never recovered. It is important that there is a broader based way of getting funding. As regards commercial rates, I do not mean to be parochial but, for example, the biggest employer in Carlow town in Carlow Institute of Technology. It employs approximately 700 people but it is not rateable. There are no other tools, so to speak, in Carlow for generating income. Like a lot of other towns, it lost a number of industries in recent years, such as the sugar industry and so on. There are no other ways of generating income with the exception of the plus or minus up to 15% of LPT. What other models can be considered with regard to broadening the income base over the coming period?