Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I accept that there has not been a revaluation in some time, but in 2013 the rates for one business in Waterford were €2,963. In 2014 this figure will increase to €7,647, a difference of 158%. For another business the amount payable was €4,373, which will increase to €10,080, an increase of 131%. One gets nothing for this any more because one must pay extra for water, the refuse service and in car parking charges. One cannot ask a business to sustain this increase. The business community does not understand the process or how the Valuations Office has reached these new NAV amounts. Transparency needs to be improved. Appeals take more than 12 months to complete and they involve delays and hassle. We have tried to curtail costs in many areas of business, but this is a cost over which businesses have no control and for which they get nothing in return. They face increases of 158% and 131%. A survey of 60 businesses in Waterford showed the average increase was 62%.

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