Council defends action on unpaid rates in Cork city

City officials in Cork have defended the timing of the issuing of more than 70 summonses for non-payment of commercial rates just weeks after the St Patrick’s St car ban controversy.

The city council insisted that the issuing of summonses is part of its normal collection procedure, that the quantity issued this month is in line with previous months, and that they are only issued after other avenues have been exhausted.

And it said the summonses issued recently are in relation to historic arrears, not 2018 rates.