Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

247. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will consider a further extension of the local authority commercial rates waiver until June 2022 given that many businesses in counties Carlow and Kilkenny will struggle to remain open during this period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58779/21]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government recouped €729m to local authorities to fund the cost of a rates waiver in 2020. This meant that for eligible businesses their commercial rates were funded by Government for nine months of 2020.

€435m has been allocated by Government to fund the cost of a rates waiver for Q1 to Q3 this year. Administration of the waiver by local authorities is ongoing and local authorities are currently submitting returns for recoupment of the costs of the waiver to the Department. These are unprecedented measures, which offered support to businesses and financial certainty to local authorities.

A more targeted rates waiver for Q4 2021 was announced in Budget 2022 to cover the hospitality, arts, leisure and entertainment sectors, travel agency and airports sector. €62.3m has been allocated by Government for this waiver. The waiver is intended to assist specific sectors as they continue to be impacted by COVID-19 restrictions beyond September 2021.

It is recognised that the hospitality and tourism sectors make a very significant contribution to local authority income through their commercial rates, and to local economies generally by enticing visitors, boosting walk-in trade for other businesses and providing employment. It is also the case that the hospitality and tourism sectors are widely affected by current COVID-19 restrictions.

As with all public health measures and associated supports, the waiver of commercial rates will be kept under review. As has been the case since the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department will continue to engage with the local government sector and with individual local authorities on the financial impacts of the pandemic.