Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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I appreciate that. Local authority members will appreciate it too because they have good knowledge of these smaller towns and villages Mr. Hayes refers to. However, an incentive to pay rates could be the necessary nudge to somebody who owns a commercial property that we know will probably never be operating commercially again. It might make him or her think about a change of use like bringing it back into use for residential purposes. This should be done with balance in order that we retain some commercial and retail properties in those town centres. It seems properties can be allowed to sit there forever because there is no incentive, no carrot and no stick. These properties can have a big impact on a town centre. Many of our rural towns and villages are undergoing a rejuvenation process because of people working from home, digitisation and improvements to rural public transport services.

That is something that needs to be addressed, and a study needs to be carried out.