We were promised the heads of a commercial rates Bill were being prepared. Many of us are celebrating 12 months in this House and many of us were members of a local authority for many years. Therefore, we are aware commercial rates payers are absolutely crippled with an archaic and outdated method of commercial rate setting. It is time that a fair assessment system, based on ability to pay and business turnover, was introduced.

My county has the worst commercial rate payment level in the country, yet the Valuation Office continues to value property county by county using a system that needs to be changed urgently. The Taoiseach referred to prioritising Bills. This is a priority Bill, and I am fed up listening to words such as "preparation", "into the future" and "shortly". What are the timelines and when can we expect the Bill to be before the House?

I think it is fair to say that ratepayers were always a target of local authorities over very many years, and that is why the Government introduced the devolution of authority to local authority members to have an opportunity to reduce rates by up to 15% if they so desired. Second, that is why property taxes were introduced, not only to bring in income to Government, but also to reduce the burden on commercial ratepayers who always took the brunt of an attack every year.

I expect that the heads of that Bill will come to the Government during the month of March. It is deemed to be a priority and we expect to have it put through the process in the House then.