Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am speaking on this issue because it is affecting businesses throughout Ireland, especially in the Tallaght area. There are units in Tallaght shopping centre, which is in my constituency of Dublin South-West, that have been empty for years. South Dublin County Council was one of the first rateable areas to be subject to revaluation during the boom. The current valuations do not remotely reflect the value of the businesses or the properties. Business people are not taking them up and they are lying vacant. We need to correct this because everybody is losing out. The State is losing out on tax. Small businesses and property owners are losing out as well. The ambience of these centres suffers when units lie empty. They will not be taken up unless the current system of rateable valuation is changed. The provision relating to "material change of circumstances" is much too tight. If one knocks a wall here or adds a bit there, it could be said to be a material change. It does not make sense. I suggest that the relevant section of the Act should be amended to refer to a property that has experienced a "change in economic circumstances" which would reflect the net value. Realistically, what affects business? It is economics. It is not knocking a wall here or knocking a wall there that will affect building and expansion or whatever. Having it only confined to that is much too close. It has to be looked at. The five-year valuation is another thing as well. It is going to be more than five years. I think it should be mandatory to revalue after five years. Otherwise, it can be kicked down the road to ten years. With this one it could be 15 years. Where will Tallaght be if it does not have the mandatory - I hope it is mandatory - five years that is in the legislation? If the Minister of State can do something about the provision that relates to having a discretionary change of economic circumstances within five years, it would be appreciated. It is not working. Everybody is losing out on it at the moment. I will come in again on another section.