Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 20:

In page 6, between lines 41 and 42, to insert the following:“11.Section 26 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the insertion of a new section 26B—

“26B.(1) On application to it, by an occupier, a rating authority shall, in accordance with this section, exempt an occupier from the obligation to pay rates on grounds of hardship or inability to pay where that rating authority is satisfied that reasons of a hardship or economic nature exist which renders it not possible for the occupier to make that payment.
(2) An exemption under subsection (1) shall be for a period not exceeding one year and not less than 3 months.
(3) An occupier may apply in writing to the rating authority for an exemption under subsection (1).
(4) On receiving an application under subsection (3) the rating authority shall give its decision, based on the criteria as set out in subsection (1), in writing to the party concerned as soon as is reasonably practicable.”.”.

We seek an ability to pay clause and I wonder what the Government's position on it is.