Independent TD Mattie McGrath has described as ‘regressive and punitive’ the proposal contained in the Local Government Bill 2013 which aims to apply a 50% rates burden on all vacant properties in the State rather than just in urban areas like those controlled by Dublin, Limerick and Cork city councils as is currently the case.

Deputy McGrath was speaking after receiving numerous representations from concerned business and property owners who feel the measure, if implemented, will significantly stall local economic recovery in many towns and villages.

“This is nothing short of a blatant and short sighted revenue generating measure which seems to have little or no regard for the long term impact it will have on maintaining businesses into the future. I have been consistently raising the inequities that appear to be embedded into the Rates and Valuation processes in this country for some time and so it is deeply frustrating to see that this proposal further solidifies that unfairness.

“I will be calling on the Commissioner of Valuation to investigate this proposal and monitor its implications given that it is his explicit role to bring more equity, fairness and transparency into the local authority rating system for non-domestic property.”

Deputy McGrath went on to point out that it was clearly more just to simply maintain the system where when the owner of an unoccupied business could prove that the business was unoccupied for two years then no rate charge should apply; this would in the interests of all concerned and more conducive to generate growth.