Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if he will provide an assessment of the impact of current levels of commercial rates on job creation and sustainability. [41607/12]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The levying and collection of commercial rates is a reserved function of the Local Authorities, which come under the policy remit of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan. The Annual Rate of Valuation (ARV) is decided by the elected members of each Local Authority in their annual budget. Conscious of the need to minimise the costs that impact on business, the Minister earlier this year asked all Local Authorities to exercise restraint in setting their 2012 ARVs. Local Authorities have responded positively. All but one Local Authority froze or reduced its rate this year. The one Local Authority that increased its ARV was legally required to do so following the extension of a town boundary. In order to help businesses to be competitive, we must strive to keep all other costs on businesses as low as possible. The Action Plan for Jobs contains a range of measures designed to achieve cost reductions across the whole of Government and to support business.