asked the Minister for Local Government if he proposes to grant remission of rates on community centres, sports clubhouses and premises occupied by voluntary and charitable organisations.
43.
Ceistéanna—Questions Oral Answers - Rates Remission.
42.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will consider derating community halls.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take question Nos. 42 and 43 together.
Premises used exclusively for charitable purpose are exempt from rates. Otherwise, parochial, community or recreational halls and centres do not qualify for special rating concessions under existing law. However, I would point out that these halls and centres benefit from the recent Government decision to transfer on a phased basis from local to central taxation the burden of health charges on local authorities and the cost to them of local authority housing.
Would the Minister agree that in order to stimulate community effort it would be a tremendous boost if the burden of rates was removed from community halls? At the moment the burden of rates is the single greatest item of expenditure in these community halls. Would the Minister not agree that it would be a tremendous help if the Minister would remove the rates burden?
Like everything else that costs money and is desirable this is something that we would all like to do, but I would also like to point out that this burden has been there for a long time.
Is the Minister aware that provision was contained in the recent Local Government White paper to waive rates on youth clubs and community halls? Is the Minister so aware?
I cannot say that I am definitely so aware but I take the Deputy's word for it.
I can tell the Minister that that is so. Would he ask the Minister for Local Government to reconsider this in view of the tremendous difficulty that young people have in raising funds for their youth clubs? The vast majority of it is voluntary effort and they should at least get this concession. Would the Minister ask the Minister for Local Government to reconsider this?
This ill has been with us for a long, long time and, indeed, I will bring it to the notice of my colleague, the Minister for Local Government. Of course, they will have a lot less rates to pay this year then they had last year.
So will office blocks.
(Interruptions.)
Question No. 44.
Since the Minister sought to indicate that voluntary organisations, community centres and sports clubs will have the benefit of reduced rates by reason of the recent Government decision, does he agree that so will expensive office blocks and that, therefore, these community halls and other social centres will have no advantage vis-à-vis expensive office blocks?
And luxury flats.
If the Leader of the Opposition carefully followed the provisions of the budget he would find that there is a provision for an extra charge in relation to office blocks which will act in the manner of a claw-back. I am surprised that the Leader of the Opposition did not observe that in the budget.
Does the Minister not know that there is an extra advantage for the rated occupiers of office blocks in that they will enjoy income tax concessions as well?
They will pay 5 per cent more on the cost of their office blocks and that will provide a clawback which will mean that the clubs referred to will benefit very spectacularly from the Government decision. The Leader of the Opposition is quite wrong and the office blocks——
(Interruptions.)
We have given a very long time to the one question. Deputy Coogan and Deputy G. Fitzgerald to conclude.
May I ask the former Taoiseach why he did not accept a Bill that I had down in the House for 12 months and put in motion? For 12 months it was on the Order Paper and you——
(Interruptions.)
I hate hypocrisy.
The Minister dispensed with the very important matter of youth clubs, et cetera, in the community. Would he not suggest to the Minister for Local Government that he should examine the position with regard to sporting organisations and community organisation generally? I am disappointed that the Minister for Defence, who himself is an enthusiast of a particular sport,——
The Deputy is making a speech.
——should shrug so despicably at the facilities being provided for these organisations.
I indicated at least five minutes ago that I will bring the matter to the attention of the Minister for Local Government.