Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I move amendment No. 36:

In page 36, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following:"(2) Each municipal district may in respect of that district, vary the commercial rate and Local Property Tax within the district from the amount applicable to the county council or city and county council concerned.".

In respect of section 29(2), we need an amendment so that each municipal district will have the power to vary its commercial rate and local property tax in order to carry out specific projects agreed by the members as part of their budget. I think that is self-explanatory. The Minister commented earlier about the forthcoming local government Bill. I am sure he is aware that many councils throughout the country have yet to meet to discuss their estimates in the absence of a clear indication of commitments in respect of the local property tax and the provision of water charges and in the knowledge that, for example, there are 9,000 appeals on the books in Dublin in respect of re-evaluation of commercial premises and the difficulties that exist there in the absence of an overhaul of that system of funding. The amendment asks that municipal districts have the power to vary the local property tax and the commercial rate in order to carry out specific projects agreed among themselves.