Town firms fret as council plans to hike charge

Despite the clamour from small businesses that rates increases could put many over the edge it’s the big boys who really foot the bill.

Just 30 businesses will pay one third of the €96m of the estimated rates collected in by Cork County Council this year.

The reality is that large pharmaceutical companies, Irish Distillers, ESB, and Bord Gáis are among the big contributors to the rates which represent 34% of the total the council spends on services in the region.