John Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Logging off and logging back on did the trick. I thank the witnesses. This proposed Bill is a technical measure, as has been mentioned, but it will have the important role of facilitating the amalgamation of the three bodies.

I will follow up on Deputy Ó Murchú's point on the Valuation Office because it pertains to the local authority sector in particular. Councillors around the country often express frustration with delays in valuing new commercial premises and new buildings. Thankfully, we have many such premises in the country now arising from massive inward investment, particularly from the multinational sector. However, local authorities do not get the benefit of that in terms of commercial rates until maybe two years after completion of the commercial premises because of the lead-in times involved. If a building is finished at a certain point in the year, it cannot be valued and included in the rates system until the following year. It is important to be able to capture that value as early as possible. Delays frustrate local authorities at times.

Will staff be able to move between the three constituent organisations? Obviously, that will be subject to them having certain skill sets and also to industrial relations issues. We have heard there will be three entities under one umbrella, so to speak. Will that allow for the movement of staff or the redeployment of resources to areas where there is a significant workload at a point in the year? Will that flexibility be built in when the new agency is established?