City manager defends business rates

A 10% cut in Cork City Council’s commercial rates would do little to help struggling businesses, the city manager has insisted.

Such a cut would equate to a reduction of under €20 per week for 70% of the city’s 6,650 individual ratings businesses, with close to 40% of them benefiting to the tune of less than €6 per week, Tim Lucey said.

He made his comments last night as councillors were presented with figures from Sept/Oct which show a retail vacancy level of around 20% in the city centre area.