Businesses struggling to pay rates bill

HARD-UP publicans and shopkeepers in villages and small towns around Kerry may be unable to pay their rates this year, it was claimed yesterday.

Rates are becoming an unfair burden on business people whose trade was now being lost to multinational retailers in the bigger towns, Independent councillor Danny Healy-Rae told Kerry County Council’s annual budget meeting.

“If pressurised business people make submissions about not being able to pay their rates they should be facilitated properly and without delay,” he said.