Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This issue was raised by a councillor in the area but in a sense it is a national issue. The question for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government is whether, given its importance to the retail and social revitalisation of Laois, there are any plans for the Department to assist, through rates discounts, with the development of Rathdowney shopping outlet and similar sites throughout the country. This raises the bigger issue of rates discounts and so on for derelict or unused commercial buildings.

As the retail recovery slowly begins to take root, the Minister has the opportunity, perhaps, to improve the recovery by encouraging a rates discount in such circumstances. Perhaps this could be accomplished by changing the law covering the valuation of property. A change could allow a discount to be applied in shopping centres or other buildings where the occupancy rate is at a certain low level.

I appreciate that this is a matter for the council in question. Perhaps it could be seen as a case study or an example of where policy could be engineered to facilitate such buildings. Many people living in the area would benefit greatly from the employment that would be created. I believe there are several shopping centres for which something could be done to allow their growth to be kick-started. I am keen to know whether the Minister has any plans in this regard.

I am considering the wider issue in the sense that there are numerous commercial buildings throughout the country. I accept that the commercial market dictates much of this and I accept that the sector is improving, more so in urban areas. However, outside Dublin the struggle is still going on. I am a Dublin-based Senator but I see this as a national issue. When it comes to rural development, this begs the question of whether we should have a Minister for rural development, perhaps a super junior Minister, if there is a Cabinet reshuffle, which, I realise, is beyond the Minister's scope. I am keen to hear the Minister's response to the issue of derelict sites and what we could do to improve the situation.