Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)

I move:

"That Dáil Éireann:

— notes the significant contribution made to the economy by commercial rate payers;

— accepts that many small businesses are experiencing difficulty in paying their rates to local authorities and that this is contributing to the closure of businesses across the country and job losses;

— observes that the Programme for Government is silent on the issue of commercial rates and that the Valuation Act 2001 is due to be reviewed in 2012;

— recognises that approximately 80% of rates paid come from 20% of the payers;

— further recognises that commercial rates account for 27% of local authority funding and that commercial rate payers also pay for water provision and disposal capacity;

— agrees that the re-valuation exercise currently being undertaken by the Valuation Office will take too long to roll out across the country with most local authorities not addressing a rate reduction in any meaningful way;

— asserts that the current system makes no allowance for ability to pay or changed economic circumstances and that the valuation system and charges setting mechanisms are archaic and complex;

— further notes that the Local Government Efficiency Review Group has identified savings of €511 million that can be made in the sector;

— calls on the Government to commit immediately to a review of the present rates system and identify better and fairer alternatives such as a self assessment method;

— further calls on the Government to immediately begin a process of substantial commercial valuation reduction across each local authority in the country;

— advocates that the Government implements an effective rebate and refund scheme for small businesses;

— further advocates that the Government introduce a rate system which is user friendly and recognises economic circumstances and the ability to pay;

— calls on the Government specifically to delete the subsequent occupier clause and apply that retrospectively;

— urges the Government to ensure that seasonality is taken into account in calculating the valuation of business properties that are fully closed for a significant part of the year;

— advocates that the Government grant a 50% reduction on the rates charged on offshore islands in view of the additional cost of doing business in the islands; and

— urges the Government to implement immediately the recommendations of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group."

I wish to share time with Deputies McGuinness and Seán Fleming.

See this speech in context