Galway Bay fm newsroom – Galway City and County Councils will be over a million euro out of pocket due to a national agreement on rates recalculation.
That’s according to Galway Sinn Féin Senator, Trevor O’Clochartaigh, who says changes to the rates system are more favourable to large companies.
Last year, the government reviewed the rates being paid by companies with a presence in multiple counties – such as Gas Networks Ireland, Eir, Vodafone, Iarnród Éireann and others.
Under the new system, these companies make their rates payments nationally as opposed to paying local authorities.
Councils are then partly compensated by the government for the loss of rates revenue.
However, It’s understood Minister Simon Coveney has stated there will be no such compensation for local authorities for next year.
Senator O’Clochartaigh fears the move will leave Galway city and county councils significantly out of pocket.