Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Retail is my background. I have been self-employed for 17 years, and I also worked as a PAYE worker in retail in my sister's jewellery business in Waterford. What has struck me today, having been on both sides of the counter, is that most of our discussion has been around rates. The reason is that the majority of shop owners, shopkeepers and people who own small or medium enterprises feel that they have no control over what they are charged. They get a bill twice a year. It is appalling for many of them. Labour costs, transport costs, and costs for heat and light have to be factored in. Those costs have to be met; one cannot run a business without doing so. The feeling is that business people have no control over what they might be charged for their rates and they do not know what will face them for the new year.

I am struck by the fact that the majority of our conversation has been around commercial rates. If one goes to any provincial town and talks to any shopkeeper - I am purely talking about retail - the first thing that they will bring up is rates. I have been there myself.

I invite the witnesses to comment individually now. We spoke at length about rates, but if there is something else they would like to bring up or draw our attention to we would be very happy to listen.