Vol. 488 No. 7
278 Mr. C. Lenihan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the plans, if any, he has for a national system of rates relief for retail and other commercial developments that add to the main street ethos of urban areas. [7027/98]
There are no plans for a national system of rates relief along the lines referred to. However, rates remission in respect of newly constructed and refurbished buildings has been a feature of past urban renewal schemes and the guidelines circulated to local authorities in respect of the 1998 urban renewal scheme state that local authorities would be empowered, within certain parameters, to decide, in the context of their integrated area plans, on the appropriateness of rates remissions. The new scheme is due to come into operation on 1 August 1998.
