Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael)

I support the call by my colleague, Senator Pat O'Neill on the issue of rates. I raised this a number of months ago. We are contacted regularly by people who have businesses, especially those who own a small rural pub and may not open their premises except for a couple of hours at night to serve the one or two customers who call in to them. They must pay for the significant rates levied on businesses. It is appropriate we would have a debate and give the local authorities the flexibility to vary the rates for those who are not making the income they were making in the past.