Pat Casey (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It was the 40% who received an increase who contacted my office not the 60% who did not receive an increase. While the Minister of State mentioned that properties could have had improvements carried out and extensions added, the critical factor is that a revaluation had not been carried out in Wicklow during the past 30 years. The fundamental problem is that revaluations do not take place often enough. I have been contacted by owners of several properties facing a 300% to 400% increase in their rates liability for no reason other than they are located on a street that has seen much improvement in that period while they have not made any improvements to their properties. It is hard for a small business to take that hit and to be asked to do so in one year. This amendment seeks to harmonise that liability over a period of time. In the absence of the legislation the Minister of State proposes to the Valuation Office, a harmonisation measure such as that proposed in the amendment is required. I speak from my experience in Wicklow when we had to harmonise the town council rate with the local authority rates and we had a similar situation with properties decreasing in value and other properties increasing in value. Therefore, it is possible to harmonise rates over a period of time when we can examine the figure with which we are dealing at the end of the day. I went into family businesses that were on their knees when they got their revaluations. It is not acceptable to say there is nothing in place to assist small businesses to deal with the shock of the impact of a revaluation that is not of their own making. This is the State’s fault. It does not have a proper revaluation system. It was nearly 40 years since Wicklow had a revaluation carried out. My business suffered a 100% increase as result of its revaluation. We had not had a revaluation in more than 20 years. We, as a party, will be pushing this amendment. In the absence of the legislation the Minister of State is proposing there is nothing in place to assist the small and medium sector to deal with the shock they face on foot of a revaluation.