Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his contribution. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this rates Bill as we see it come to its final stages. I appreciate that, following on from committee last week, there are a number of additional areas that the Minister of State has outlined he wishes to see included.

When I speak on this matter, I always stress the fact that this is a huge part of our local government system. Our councils would not function without the moneys that are raised from local businesses in each county, and this always needs to be said. Some €1.5 billion was raised in revenues last year and, over the course of this decade, we have seen the cumulative total raised by some 14%, which should never be forgotten. I am always conscious of the role businesses play through their payment of rates in ensuring we have councils that can offer services. As the Minister of State said, anything that helps the system work more efficiently is to be welcomed and, therefore, many of the proposals being brought forward are to be welcomed.

I am disappointed that amendments brought forward last week on Committee Stage by Fianna Fáil were not accepted, in particular our proposals regarding the phasing of multi-annual payments in the case of a business that has been hit by a rates revaluation which leads to a significant increase in the rates payable by it. We believe businesses hit with a substantial increase should be afforded the opportunity of phased payments. I am even more disappointed that our proposals around an inability to pay clause were not accepted. Outside of the booming city of Dublin and other cities, there are towns that are struggling. There are main streets in which a huge proportion of properties are vacant. This issue has to be grappled with. Without money coming through the door, businesses do not have money to pay rates bills to the county council or to the rates officers looking for their pound of flesh. The insertion of an inability to pay clause would have been a positive move. I am disappointed that the Government, supported by Sinn Féin in this new right wing coalition of friends, voted it down.

Fianna Fáil has put forward an amendment in regard to the public consultation process and rates abatement to allow for a more transparent process, which, I hope, will be accepted. I understand the time sensitive nature in terms of many of the issues outlined by the Minister of State. Fianna Fáil will work with the Government over the next couple of days to ensure the passage of the Bill.

See this speech in context