Firms likely to bear brunt of funds freeze

BUSINESS property owners pay up to two-thirds and more of the annual budget of some local councils.

Although the cases of Killarney, Naas and Skibbereen are quite extreme businesses in counties Louth and Longford contribute less than 6.5% of the council budget most business owners believe their commercial rates are relied on too much by local government.

Figures from the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland show that just under a quarter of the average local authority's annual spend comes from commercial rates. This year, Irish businesses will pay almost €750 million in rates to their local town, city or county council.