Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

Development levies have nothing to do with this at all. The Minister mentioned the Valuation (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill on a number of occasions but there are problems with it. There has been an inordinate delay in bringing it before us. Six months is the difference between a small business going under and surviving.

My experience is that local authorities are not flexible. They tell people they are mandated to implement the regulations as they stand and they have no flexibility at all. In interventions I have made on behalf of small businesses in my area, the response is that the local authority knows things are difficult and that a business might not have the money but if it owes rent or money to the bank or suppliers, it should give the local authority that money and leave the others short.

That is what we are dealing with. The matter will not be resolved unless there is an input from the Government.

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