Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 5, after line 30, to insert the following:“(a) property which has experienced a change in circumstances which has significantly affected its net value,”.

I welcome the opportunity to move this amendment. It is a small amendment. The Leas-Cheann Comhairle indicated that all amendments being discussed today were discussed on Committee Stage, so we do not need to have as detailed a discussion on the amendments, except perhaps for one or two of them. This amendment was discussed at length on Committee Stage.

The essence of the point I am making is that in the case of a change in circumstances which significantly affects the annual value, this should be taken into account rather than just physical alterations to buildings. We are all familiar with areas which have declined in terms of trade because a new shopping centre has opened nearby. The level of business in a location may have diminished. We all know of examples where a village or filling station has been bypassed by a motorway and the level of business has reduced accordingly. Notwithstanding the fact there is no change to the physical building, there can be a real change to the net annual value which should be taken into account by the Valuation Office.

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