John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is the point I am trying to make. I have no problem with what the amendment is trying to achieve, but the reality on the ground is that this is implemented wholesale across the country. I was in Donegal County Council with some of my officials last week or the previous week. The first thing I always raise when I visit a local authority is the rate of rates collection. The Donegal rate was lower than I would have liked it to be. The reason it was lower was that over a period of years through the recession the council introduced its own version of an alleviation scheme, which saw some rates written down. The freedom that currently exists, which I accept is not exercised by every local authority, is retained in the Bill. The problem I have with it is the illegality of a phased decrease but also, as Senator Coffey pointed out, in a rates revaluation situation that the proportion from different businesses would change but the overall figure coming to the council would not change. My concern is where Carlow County Council would find the extra €250,000 that it loses in that process.