Legal action likely for failure to pay rates

THE figure for uncollected 2010 rates in Kilrush on February 1, 2011 was €109,274.09. This figure was revealed at last Thursday’s monthly meeting of Kilrush Town Council where town clerk John Corry said that some rate payers, who have yet to pay, are likely to have legal action taken against them.

“Kilrush Town Council is making every effort to recover the monies by proceeding through the appropriate legal channels, including service of court summonses, which will be heard later this month,” the town clerk told the meeting in Kilrush Town Hall.
However, he stressed that business owners were afforded reasonable opportunity to pay their rates.
“We’re affording every opportunity to rate payers in this current climate,” John Corry stated.
“We’re up against a brick wall with certain premises but we’re steadfast in pursuing them. Once a legal letter is received, it sometimes prompts payment,” he added.
A figure of €41,950.10 has been either written off or refunded to rate payers in Kilrush.
Some business people, Councillor Prendeville claimed, were told if their business was open on the day the annual rate was struck, they were obliged to pay the full rate even if they subsequently went out of business.
The meeting also heard that rate payers, who ran a business which folded, would be refunded the figure for each vacant month. Councillors also claimed that if a tenant was running a business from a premises and the business closed, the owner of the building could have to pay the outstanding rates.
“To the ordinary person out there, it doesn’t make sense. That’s wrong. Some people are not in a position to pay any more,” Councillor Tom Prendeville commented.
Later, the meeting heard that 1,500 people were on the unemployment register in Kilrush and that 93 business premised in the town were vacant.
“A walk through Kilrush recently was a stark reminder to me of how trade in the retail sector is struggling to survive,” Councillor Prendeville said.
“Perhaps we should be looking to reduce the level of rates, rents and parking charges in a bid to boost the fortunes of the retail sector in particular around the town centre,” he added.
At the end of last year uncollected rates stood at €196,492.55 with what were described as “temporary uncollectable rates” standing at €134,082.93.
The overall rate collection in Kilrush for 2010 was 75%.
“It represents a relatively high collection rate,” John Corry commented.