Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 545: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the inequality in fees charged for applying for a disability access certificate, in which a small business of 30 sq mtrs is expected to pay the same as a huge shopping outlet; and if he will make the necessary provisions to make the system more equitable, based on the size of the premises. [26227/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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A flat fee of €800 applies in the case of all applications for a Disability Access Certificate (DAC). The fee is an administrative charge and is necessary having regard to the requirements for local authorities in processing of DAC applications. Access and use provisions, including the accessibility of the approach route, access at entry level and access to sanitary and other facilities in general, applies generally to all new buildings or to existing buildings undergoing a material alteration or a material change of use. These key requirements are standard considerations relevant to all DAC applications irrespective of the size of the building concerned.

Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 546: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider allowing community based childcare facilities to be exempt from commercial rates. [26228/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Act 2001. With regard to the application of rates to childcare facilities, where childcare provision is within a community facility, operating in non-profit capacity, commercial rates do not generally apply.

The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority. The annual rate on valuation (ARV), which is applied to the valuation of each property, determined by the Valuation Office, to obtain the amount payable in rates, is decided by the elected members of each local authority in the annual budget and its determination is a reserved function.

I recognise that these are difficult economic times for many businesses and I am continuing to keep all matters relating to rates under regular consideration in my Department.