David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister for his response and welcome the progress that has been made. I wish to impress upon him the urgent need for further progress in this area. Will he comment on an issue that has been brought to my attention? The average rates for hotel rooms in Cork are approximately €3,000 per bedroom, whereas in some parts of Dublin some properties have already been revaluated and the rate is just over €1,000. Can the Minister comment on competitiveness in that area?

Hotels in Cork are finding it difficult to compete in the face of such disparity in rates. Many hotels and other businesses are experiencing this difficulty because valuations are so out of date. Will the Minister take this issue on board as a matter of urgency? Will he seek to push for a resolution as soon as possible, through outsourcing, self-assessment and the updating of existing lists, to which he referred? The revaluation commenced in 2005 but has only been completed in a small area of the country.

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