Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator van Turnhout's comments. I presume she will table amendments on Report Stage and can inform her that we are willing to support them. I am also sure that the Government will listen carefully to what she says.

I want to talk about the subject of this amendment. Here today a fraud has been perpetrated on the sports clubs and sports community of Ireland. A number of weeks ago Fine Gael Deputies were all over the country in response to Deputy Cowen's Bill in the Dáil announcing that clubs with bars would be exempt from rates. We were all happy that the Government had decided to accede to our wishes. There are less than a dozen clubs in County Meath that are in that position. I appeal to all Senators and the GAA and FAI to listen to me because this is a very serious issue. Previously, under the 2001 Act, land developed for sport was exempt from rates. Today the Minister is changing that provision and deleting the exemption. He now includes the bars, and is delineating them, so we welcome the measure. He is also now bringing into the rates net any club that leases premises for commercial purposes which is basically any club in the country. Practically every single GAA and soccer club that I know rents out their pitches. That is what the Minister is getting at and that is what he is going to make rateable.

Part of the section states "used directly or indirectly in the generation of income". I was not aware that such clubs were subject to rates. The fact has certainly not been brought to my attention by anyone. The only people who made representations to me were the clubs in Meath GAA which had bars which amounts to about six or seven clubs. There are some rugby and soccer clubs in the same situation as well.

This proposal is an attempt to remove the exemption for land developed for sport and to bring in clubs that rent out their pitches or all-weather pitches. These clubs were given grant money but use the income generated by rentals to pay off loans they got to put with the grant money. The proposal will be very seriously opposed by all sides in this House and by the sports community throughout the country.