Commercial rates ‘should have been increased by 50 per cent’ in budget

COMMERCIAL rates should have been increased by 50 per cent in the South Dublin County Council Budget for 2025, according to People Before Profit.

The party’s proposals for the Budget included a 50 per cent increase in the Annual Rate on Valuation (ARV) for businesses, which they say would have generated an additional €76.5m in revenue with €26.5m ringfenced to ensure the increase would only be paid by rate payers over €50,000.

Cllr Madeleine Johansson says this would have ensured that the financial burden was placed on “major corporations, not on small enterprises or residents.”

“The refusal to even consider our amendment shows a lack of vision and a failure to prioritise the needs of ordinary people,” said Cllr Johansson.

“This budget does nothing to address the housing crisis or the cost-of-living pressures faced by council tenants.”

PBP councillors Johansson, Darragh Adelaide, Kay Keane and Jess Spear, did not vote for a “more of the same” budget as it did not contain proposed amendments they submitted.

“Our amendment was a common-sense approach to addressing the chronic issues in South Dublin,” said Cllr Johansson.

“It would have increased spending by €50m on urgently needed repairs and maintenance for council housing as well as an expanded retrofitting programme to tackle energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. Small and medium businesses, the backbone of our community, would have received targeted relief through a rebate scheme that ensured fairness and encouraged local enterprise. Instead, the council has chosen to maintain the status quo.”