Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to draw particular attention to the diverging two-tier society that has developed in the State. Inside the M50 there are some stirrings of activity, but the rest of the country is unaffected. This means people in the Border, midlands and west are more likely to be in poverty or unemployed, or more likely to emigrate. According to the last census, the population of these areas fell.

The Minister mentioned rates. I ask him to consider seriously a progressive business rate whereby the same amount in rates would be coming into the coffers of the local authority but according to a system whereby the rate would be designed to take the pressure off businesses that are struggling. I hope we generally believe in progressive taxation, but a progressive business rate would reflect the level of profit of a business at a given time. This would be a great incentive to continue for those businesses that are barely hanging on by their fingernails at present.

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