Commercial rates reform
Deputy Declan Breathnach asks whether the commercial rates Bill will reform the valuation system. The Minister says the aim is to give local authorities more autonomy and flexibility in how rates are charged and collected.
My question is supplementary to Deputy Chambers' question. We all know that valuation currently dictates the commercial rates. Can the Minister confirm the heads of the commercial rates Bill will include proposals to reform the archaic nature of the valuation?
Comment on this
I will happily answer that. The Valuation Office is actually in the Department of Justice and Equality and not in the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government. What we are planning to do with this legislation is give local authorities more autonomy and flexibility in terms of how they charge for and collect rates locally depending on business type, geographical conditions, disadvantage in certain areas and so on, so that they will be able to strategically use the rates base in a more effective and appropriate way than is currently the case. The Deputy will see that legislation in the next two to three weeks.