Jimmy Harte (Labour) | Oireachtas source

The church has not come out and told people to stop doing this. I have to say, as a practising Catholic, that the church must do that. Other Members have daughters and sons who are minors or toddlers who could be subject to this, which is tantamount to intimidation.

Will the Leader ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to come to the House to discuss the rates base and the rates levied on small businesses? I heard a discussion about this on local radio earlier.

He made the valid point that the household charge takes some of the pressure off local authorities in raising rates for small businesses. Why should a small corner shop pay €3,000 or €4,000 in rates per year when the man who has a house worth €2 million and has six or seven bathrooms claims he should not be paying a property tax even though he is using more services than that shop? The small corner shop is the cornerstone of the community and will lead the way out of this economic mess. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government should put together a package for the small business operator who is struggling to pay rates. Consequently, the local authority is struggling to provide services. There should be a method similar to that which exists in other countries. Perhaps the Minister could be invited to the House to discuss this.