Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everybody back after the summer recess. I join my colleagues in wishing well our colleague, Jimmy Harte, on his retirement. Jimmy has been a good friend to all of us in the Seanad. He has had a very difficult couple of years but I know he is making a good recovery. Like all my colleagues here, I wish him well.

I welcome the announcement made in the past couple of days on rural areas, primarily in respect of the payments under the areas of natural constraint scheme. This will mean substantial payments going into every county. The scheme replaces the old disadvantaged areas scheme, which has been in place since the early 1970s and has paid much-needed money to farmers right across the old disadvantaged areas.

I welcome the €30 million allocated for towns and villages across rural areas. This comes about because of the report produced on this matter by Pat Spillane and the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas. It is very welcome money and it will put life back into the towns and villages concerned.

I call on the local authorities right across the country to examine how they value premises in respect of rates. We have all been contacted from time to time by small businesses in towns that are finding it very difficult to pay rates. I have raised this in the House previously. I know a man with a small pub who pays approximately €2,400 but who does not open his premises until 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. in the evening. The entire valuation process should be examined to give businessmen a chance to do business in small towns. We have seen far too many businesses closing down over recent years and we want to do everything possible to rejuvenate towns across the country.