Dublin City Council to vote on proposal to cut commercial rates

A vote to reduce commercial rates by 2% next year comes before Dublin City Council tonight.

The Dublin Chamber of Commerce is appealing to councillors to approve the reduction to support businesses in the capital.

Chamber chief executive Gina Quinn said companies have had to reduce their costs to 2006 levels, and that local authorities should match this by cutting commercial rates. Tonight's vote by Dublin City Council is the first by the four local authorities.

She hopes that Dublin's other three local authorities will also lower their annual rates of valuation.

"We hope they're going to pass the reduction of rates and that that example will be followed by the three other local authorities in Fingal , South Dublin and Dun-Laoighaire-Rathdown," she said.