David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has responsibility for local government. I am asking for his view on how we can, outside of the scope of this Bill, change for the better the rates system in this country. I accept that harmonising downwards is the best we can do within the scope of this Bill. It is positive, it should be welcomed, and the Minister should be commended on it. I refer especially to the funding that has been given to local authorities to reduce rates. Any lifting of the burden, especially on small and medium-sized businesses, must be seen as a good development. Nobody will argue against that. However, we need to have a debate about rates, how they are calculated and how they are paid.

The other issue, which the Minister has not dealt with, is the power to set rates for the municipal districts. I am looking at the two amendments which my party tabled, one of which, amendment No. 20, is supported by Fianna Fáil. We are dealing with five amendments in this grouping, but I will deal with amendment No. 20 first. It seeks to insert the wording: "Each municipal district may, in respect of that district, set an additional commercial rate for premises occupied by large commercial entities which exceed such thresholds in turnover or other economic activity as may be prescribed." The Minister has not told us why that would not be good.