John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We should mark the occasion. I too support and echo Deputy Durkan’s sentiments on this Bill. I have been involved with the GAA all my life, albeit in a club that does not have a bar on its premises. There are many sporting clubs throughout the country, not only GAA clubs but all sorts of clubs, that have bar facilities which are open, at least some of the time, to the public. It is reasonable to ask that such clubs not be rated on the full extent of their premises. There are many aspects of those clubhouses that do not generate an income and it is unfair that rates apply to those aspects. This Bill seeks to change that rating.

Deputy Durkan is right to say that if the Bill is accepted as it is, it could have many knock-on effects, including on other commercial entities. In rural Ireland there are many villages and towns that do not have much in the way of community facilities and quite often the local public house or hotel is the de facto community centre. We do not want a change in legislation that would have a negative impact on such facilities. There must be a means by which the valuation legislation could be changed that would allow for a more realistic rating system for voluntary and sporting organisations.

I know the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is not directly responsible for the licensing laws. I hold no torch for anybody in the licensed trade but I recognise that throughout the country public houses are important community facilities and that they are under severe pressure. We have a crazy licensing system under which public houses pay their licences based on turnover, whereas the large multiples pay flat rate fees for beer, spirits and wine, regardless of how much they sell. I said this to the previous Minister for Justice and Equality but have not yet spoken about it to the new Minister. If we want to do something useful to protect a crucial part of the fabric of Irish community life, the public house, we have to change the way the licensing laws operate to ensure a level playing field. I speak as one who does not frequent many public houses.

I broadly support Deputy Cowen’s proposal that there be some recognition of voluntary sporting and community organisations, part of whose buildings generate funds while the rest of the premises do not. A suitable mechanism should be found to change the valuation laws to ensure these groups are not penalised as they are now.

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