The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
AN ECONOMIC taskforce is to be set up to address the massive financial impact of the coronavirus on Clare economy, which the council’s CEO has likened to that of a “juggernaut”. Members of the local authority were updated on the measure, as they gave unanimous backing to a cross-party motion to freeze commercial rates for the duration of the crisis. At their monthly meeting, councillors heard that the authority anticipates a hit this year of €19.7 million. They agreed that central government must compensate for this loss. Calling for “a complete freeze on the collection and charging of commercial rates… for the duration of this pandemic and for a time after at the very least,” Councillor Mary Howard said business owners were distraught. She also called for a “mandatory fund” from central government to compensate councils. “I’ve been getting calls from tearful people who didn’t know when they would be able to re-open their business,” she said. “Some still don’t …
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