RATES ANOMALY COSTING CITY COUNCIL ONE MILLION EURO

Date Published: 16-Jun-2011

The City Council is losing out on one-million-euro a year due to a rates anomaly.

That's according to Galway West Labour TD Derek Nolan who has told the Dáil that new laws need to be introduced to remove it.

As it stands, the council has to provide a full refund of commercial rates when a property becomes vacant or closes for refurbishment.

Deputy Nolan says other local authorities are only required to pay a 50-percent reduction which isn't fair.

Minister of State at the Department of Health Roisin Shortall took to her feet to speak on behalf of the Minister for local Government.

She told her Labour colleague that Minister Phil Hogan wasn't for turning on the issue.