Local Fianna Fáil Minister Darragh O’Brien has announced a €600m fund to cover the cost of a commercial rates waiver for businesses forced to close and businesses that experienced significant negative economic disruption due to COVID-19. 
 
Local Authorities across the country will be provided with credit in lieu of rates. This will apply to all ratepayers for the period 27 March to 27 September 2020, with a limited number of exceptions.
 
Minister O’Brien said, “Today, the Government has agreed an extension to the current commercial rates waiver programme, to support both the local government sector and the ratepayers impacted by the Covid-19 emergency.
 
“Local authorities have faced an extraordinary period, with unprecedented financial and cash flow difficulties combined with an ever increasing need to provide vital public services. It’s therefore vital that the cost of this commercial rates waiver, expected to be approximately €600 million, will be met by the Exchequer.
 
“Fingal County Council has always provided the public with the key services they require but their response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been phenomenal. The speed at which they mobilised, setting up community initiatives has provided great support to those who needed it most. I want to thank them sincerely for their efforts to date and the work they continue to do,” he concluded.
 
ENDS
Note to Editor:
 
This credit does not apply to the following Excluded Categories:

• Public Service
• Global Utility Networks on the Central Valuation List
• Vacant Properties
• Individual Office Premises with an annual rates bill of €100k or greater in 2020*
• Supermarkets greater than 500M2 (Categories Supermarket 2 and Supermarket 3)
• Data Centres
• Incinerator, Generating Stations
• Landfill Sites
• Network (Cable)
• Network (Storm Water)
• Network (Water)
• Windfarms
• Generating Stations
• Banks
• Building Societies
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing
• Computer/Technology/Electronic manufacturing
• Premises contracted to provide services related to the COVID 19 pandemic to/on behalf of the State, where the State is already compensating for rates as part of the contract between the occupier or service provider and the State.
  

Local Fianna Fáil Minister Darragh O’Brien has welcomed the announcement of a €4,000 flat rate grant for local sports clubs which ordinarily pay rates.

Minister O’Brien said this announcement would mean that rateable sports businesses, previously excluded from the SME grant scheme, would now be eligible for a grant payment of €4,000.

Minister O’Brien said, “This will be a welcome reprieve for some of our struggling sports clubs and businesses.

“As the country begins to reopen, these clubs and businesses are showing great adaptability, in adjusting to the ‘new normal’. They need support in doing so and this measure, along with others announced by Government as part of the July Stimulus, will go some way to helping them to get back on their feet.

“From the outset of this pandemic sports clubs, which are at the heart of our communities, played a vital role in responding to the crisis. They quickly mobilised and put in place a suite of supports, from outreach to older people, to delivering supplies and groceries to those who were cocooning.

“I want to recognise and thank them for the work they do in connecting our communities here in North Dublin,” he concluded.