Fingal County Council is being urged to reduce its commercial rates in line with Dublin City Council’s reduction of rates in its budget.
The city council reduced the commercial rate for 2013 by 0.5 per cent when its budget was adopted on Monday, November 26.
The Dublin Chamber of Commerce welcomed the cut, which had not been anticipated, and urged other local authorities to follow suit in a show of support for struggling businesses.
Gina Quin, chief executive of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, said the cut came as welcome news for businesses.
“The current revaluation of commercial properties that is taking place in the Dublin City Council area could lead to an increase in the rates bill for some businesses from 2014 onwards so any reduction in advance of this is positive,
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“The remaining three Dublin county councils will vote on their 2013 budgets in the coming weeks and will be put to the test as to how supportive they really are of commerce.
“In these very demanding economic times, each one of us – as citizens, employers, officials and representatives – must share the same goal of making Dublin an attractive and competitive location in which to live, visit and work.
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In the past four years, commercial rates have been reduced by five per cent in the Dublin City Council area.
It is unclear as to whether Fingal County Council intends to follow Dublin City Council’s lead in relation to commercial rates.
Fingal County Council’s annual budget meeting is due to take place on December, 18.
A spokesperson for the council said they would not be in a position to comment on the matter until the budget is agreed by members.