Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will happily answer that. The Valuation Office is actually in the Department of Justice and Equality and not in the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. What we are planning to do with this legislation is give local authorities more autonomy and flexibility in terms of how they charge for and collect rates locally depending on business type, geographical conditions, disadvantage in certain areas and so on, so that they will be able to strategically use the rates base in a more effective and appropriate way than is currently the case. The Deputy will see that legislation in the next two to three weeks.

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