John Bruton
Question:62 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he will consider allocating funds to remove the commercial rates burden from small businesses for their first two years of operation.
Written Answers. - Commercial Rates on Small Businesses.
The question of rates for small business is one for my colleague, the Minister for the Environment and the local authorities.
The Task Force on Small Business recommended that increases in commercial rates should be statutorily limited to increases in the Consumer Price Index and that start up companies should be exempt from rates for their first two years.
I have recently established a Small Business and Services Division within my Department to follow-up on the recommendations of the task force and the proposal will receive consideration in this context.