Councils urged to back business rate cut
Local authorities were urged today to slash commercial rates by a fifth to help boost struggling businesses.
Retail bosses want Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Labour Party chief Eamon Gilmore to persuade their councillors nationwide to back the move.
Employers have also written to council heads and claim local authorities must act to help keep people in jobs.
Torlach Denihan, Retail Ireland director, said: “Over the past year 30,000 retail jobs have been lost and the sector is struggling to avoid further redundancies over the coming months.
“Local authorities must play their part in the retail sector’s efforts to regain lost competitiveness and safeguard employment.”
Mr Denihan said local authorities have used rate income and development levies from the retail trade to help fund many projects, and must now do their part to help the sector.
“They now need to act responsibly and help the sector retain employment in view of the threat posed by the collapse in sales, aggravated by cross-border shopping,” he said.
Mr Denihan said retailers have aggressively cut prices, with official figures last week revealing a 6.6% drop in the past year.
Retail Ireland’s membership includes department stores, DIY, electrical stores, fashion and footwear outlets, major supermarket groups, and specialist retailers.
