David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We will support that element of it. I should have said to the Minister yesterday that I have supported estimates on Waterford City Council in the past and personally voted for them, but we will not go back to that argument. We have seen where rates have been doubled and trebled and even if there is a 15% or 20% reduction in the overall rate, it will still be a significant burden on those small retailers who have seen a massive hike in their rates. What we need to see is a real change in how rates are calculated and a shift in burden away from the small and medium sized retailers and businesses to the bigger businesses. We saw what happened in the North and I know the Minister likes to look to the North to seek guidance around how we should do things better here in this State.