Martin Brady (Fianna Fail)

I want to raise an issue that a number of small business people raised with me. They received correspondence from various local authorities informing them that their rates will be increased. In one case, it amounts to a 35% increase. One man owns three restaurants and his rates are being increased. In some cases the business done by these enterprises has decreased by 50%. The person I was referring to employs 70 staff but he will have to close because one cannot give it out if one is not getting it in at the till. I made the necessary inquiries of the local authority, Fingal County Council, and the manager replied by saying that he agreed with me but that there was nothing he could do because it was the responsibility of the Valuation Office which was basing its increases on 2005 valuations. If these people must close their businesses, one of which employs 70 staff, because they are barely ticking over at the moment, the employees will have to receive unemployment assistance and this will cost the State €2.5 million. It does not make sense.

I suggest we bring in the relevant Minister, who I believe is the Minister for Finance, to make him aware of this situation and to ask what can be done about it. This must be stopped. We should examine giving small business people a break and reducing rates and rents in some cases. These are matters we should examine to help small businesses because they are the backbone of the economy. If we do not have small businesses, everything collapses. I ask the Leader to invite the relevant Minister to discuss this in the House.