Tom Shehan (Fine Gael)

Three local authorities in Dublin have reduced the rates relating to certain sectors - the hospitality sector is most notable among these - by 30%. There is a need to expedite matters in respect of the review of rateable valuations nationally. If he is available, the Minister, Deputy Howlin, should be brought before the House in order that we might engage in a discussion on this matter. Rate reductions will not be much good to people if they are only introduced in 2020 because many individuals will have gone out of business by then.

The second issue to which I wish to refer is quite alarming and perhaps other Senators might indicate whether it affects their areas. I refer to the fact that companies are making small numbers of people redundant every week. There is a company which operates in my locality which has let 25 people go on each of the past two Fridays. The individuals to whom I refer had been employed on temporary contracts. Some of them worked for the company for a year and others had done so for two years.