Mayor Olive Corcoran was told at the December meeting of Fermoy Town Council that her motion calling on them to agree to suspend rates on unoccupied businesses for the duration of the council couldn’t be considered as they have a legal obligation to collect them.
The mayor said no-one was making money from unoccupied buildings. Town clerk Pauline Moriarty explained that the situation is that subsequent occupiers of empty premises are liable for commercial rates for the two previous years. It was a legal requirement and something they had no leeway in.
The mayor said she’d been told by a businessman in Thurles that he got six months rent and rates free when he set up. “How is that if the legislation prohibits it?” she asked.
Cllr. Seamus Coleman said the local authority there was writing it off. “They’re doing it in Cobh too,” Cllr. John Murphy interjected.
“The law is the law. I’ve been listening to this for four years now,” Cllr. Pa O’Driscoll commented, saying there is legislation going through the Dail on it at the moment, but until then their hands were tied.
Cllr. Seamus Coleman pointed out that Minister Phil Hogan had suggested building owners pay 50% of the cost. He suggested they write to the Minister about giving the county manager more discretion in the matter.
“ORIGINALITY” REQUIRED
Cllr. Michael Hanley said they should reflect on why those businesses that are closing have failed. There’s a need to bring “a bit of originality” into the scene, he said. Opening the same shops isn’t working, there needs to be more diversity in the types of retail outlets setting up.
