Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Where stands the Local Government (Rates) Bill which passed Second Stage months ago and now languishes somewhere in the cellars of the committee room area? While the Government fails to move in any meaningful way to reform the rates system, businesses are going to the wall. That is not idle talk. We saw last week the report on the cost of doing business in Ireland. Right across Cavan and Monaghan over the last two weeks, businesses have received letters from the Valuation Office, largely to inform them of massive hikes in commercial rates. One business reports an increase of 344%. Anyone could tell the Minister that it is unsustainable for any business. How does the Minister intend to intervene? Cavan-Monaghan faces Brexit around the corner and is barely surviving after the recession.

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