City ‘still vibrant’ despite €3m surge in rates arrears

Cork’s city centre remains vibrant and strong despite a €3m surge in commercial rates arrears to €18m, the city manager insisted last night.

Tim Lucey said the arrears increase, from €15m in 2011 to €18.6m in 2012, could be explained by the fact the council could not write off rates on vacant properties.

He told last night’s meeting that the council had to roll the arrears over year-on-year, and that the €3m hike was not necessarily due to a rise in the levels of vacancy.