Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Senator has our commitment that we will bring forward the Local Government Rates and other Matters Act 2019, recognising the need for change. I reiterate that not all local authorities are as reliant on rates revenue as others. In Fingal, for instance, it accounts for 51%, whereas in a county such as Leitrim, it is about 16%, so there is considerable disparity. It is important that we examine alternative revenue-raising mechanisms for local government, be it public banking or a levy on out-of-town car parking, to channel funding back into town centres. It could also involve setting up energy supply companies to supply renewable power to developments and large users of electricity. There are other mechanisms whose potential in local government we need to unlock to provide it with sustainable and viable income streams over the coming years and beyond.