Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to support the Minister in this regard and I wish the NTA well in its efforts. In regard to the relocation charge of €50, I understand Dublin City Council charges €160. It might actually displace illegal parking into the premises with which we are dealing. During the debate on the Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012, the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Simon Harris, pointed out that parking spaces will continue to be taken into account in the valuation of shops for rateable purposes. The idea that this is free space is not accurate because costs arise for the businesses concerned and we do not want to create incentives for people to use their spaces for unlawful or wrongful parking simply because the local authority's relocation charge is higher. The Minister captured what we were trying to achieve in our earlier debate and I support the amendment.