Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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321. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the commercial rate waivers and or rate alleviation schemes that are used in each local authority to date in tabular form. [16317/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, 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 Acts 2001 to 2015. The Commissioner for Valuation has responsibility for valuation matters.  The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority.

Under the provisions of the Local Government (Rates) Act 1970, a rating authority may make and carry out a scheme, providing for the waiver by the authority of all or a portion of commercial rates due by ratepayers in respect of a specified class or classes of property. The making of such a scheme is subject to my consent as Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. No rate waiver schemes have been consented to in respect of commercial property. 

Commercial rates form an important element of the funding of all local authorities.  However, the legislative basis for the levying of rates is spread over a number of enactments, some dating back to the 19th century.  Many of the provisions are outdated and not suitable for business trends in the modern era.  I have asked my Department to develop proposals for a consolidated Rates Bill to modernise and consolidate the legislation in this area.  Among the measures being considered for inclusion in the General Scheme of the Bill are provisions to allow a local authority to introduce rates alleviation schemes to support local and national policy objectives.  I hope to bring proposals in this regard to Government shortly.

Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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322. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of local authorities that allow and do not allow respectively, businesses to pay their rates by monthly direct debit. [16318/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, 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 Acts 2001 to 2015. The levying and collection of rates are matters for each individual local authority.  My Department does not have information in respect of the number of local authorities that allow businesses to pay rates by monthly direct debit.