Mayo business sees rates bill increase from €8,000 to €21,000

A WESTPORT businessman saw his annual rates bill rise from €8,000 to €21,000 in one year according to a local councillor which now puts his business in jeopardy.

The monthly meeting of Mayo County Council heard how small businesses would struggle to stay open in the coming months because of increases in their annual rates bill.

The revaluation process of commercial rates paid by businesses was carried out by the Valuation Office to ‘improve equity, uniformity, and transparency in Local Authority rating system'. However a number of businesses have seen their annual commercial rate bill increase by a significant amount and this was raised by local councillors at the monthly meeting.

Westport-based local Independent councillor Christy Hyland told the meeting that he was recently visited by a local businessman who was close to tears as he told him his rates bill had increased from €8,000 to €21,000.

He added that a number of businesses around Westport have closed because of the increase in rates and said it was time someone shouted stop.

“We know what is happening with the restaurants and I believe the Government might bring the VAT back but I can bring you to Westport tomorrow and show you 16 buildings in the town centre which are closed.

“This family has not slept a wink for the last week. They called to my house in tears. There are businesses in Westport getting out. The business is closing and someone needs to shout stop,” he said.

A motion was passed at the October meeting of Mayo County Council calling for a scheme to ensure that smaller businesses would not be hit with a 2024 rates bill that is higher than their 2023 bill.

Fine Gael councillor Peter Flynn raised this at last Monday's meeting of the council and said businesses trying to avail of this scheme were being asked for a 'raft of documents'.

“That was never part of the proposal,” he said. “Businesses are already under pressure and the last thing they need is more stress. We were very clear in our proposals and I want to confirm that no small businesses pay anymore and not go through a raft of documentation requests,” he said.

Head of Finance Peter Duggan said that a fund of €650,000 had been set aside for the scheme in the budget based on 50 percent support from the State. However they were still awaiting details on the State scheme in order to implement it. His response was welcomed by Cllr Flynn.