Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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Progressive commercial rates would not be levied on retailers only. They would be levied on all businesses which currently pay commercial rates. From our perspective, the idea is similar to what happens in the North whereby various components are based on the type of business, the size of the building and the level of profitability of the business. Considering that Apple has been in the news recently for paying a corporation tax of less than 0.1% we are not looking to tax items bought by househusbands or housewives. The idea is that all taxes implemented, except commercial rates, would involve some level of progressiveness. The idea that the more one earns the more of a particular tax or rate one pays has been around since the 1700s but it has not been applied. A flat level has been applied against retailers. Many retailers are just keeping their heads above water and are on the tipping point. If we can create a mechanism which is revenue neutral to the State so the local authorities are not at a loss these people will have a chance to see the next year or two through and, please God, if there is an upside to the market they will continue to operate.