Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

While I accept that local authorities have a difficult budgeting job to do in 2009 as funding from central government has been reduced for next year, the shortfall must not be made up by targeting a business sector that cannot shoulder any further financial burden. Increasing rates will result in job losses by pushing some businesses over the edge. I am asking managers and councillors to prioritise the protection of jobs in their budget deliberations to allow small businesses to survive the financial storm that is blowing. If this does not happen, not only will jobs be lost unnecessarily but we will damage the rate base for local authorities for future years.

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