WHILE barely half of the commercial rates were collected in Limerick city last year, the rate of collection in Limerick county was maintained at the 2012 level of 82 per cent.
The local authority’s head of finance, Tom Gilligan said that while the current economic climate still presented challenges for ratepayers, he hoped collection rates in both the city and county would improve over the coming year.
He confirmed that the €24,229,740 collected in County Limerick in 2013 was an improvement of over €1.2 million on the figure for 2012 when €22,979,998 was collected.
Write-offs and waivers for 2013 included vacant property available for letting, property returned to domestic use and certain community facilities. In relation to balances outstanding, Mr Gilligan said the Council were actively working with customers to facilitate payment plans and promised to continue to engage with businesses operating in Limerick.
“Where customers are having difficulties they can come and talk to us. We are willing to work out a payment plan.
“Unfortunately there has been occasions where we have had to go the legal route and we see that as a failure of negotiation if we can’t get an agreement. We encourage customers to come and talk to us. Our doors are always open,” said Mr Gilligan.
“People can come into us and we’ll work out a payment plan. The legal route is not our preferred option. We would prefer to facilitate payment options.
“In line with procedures for 2013, we continue to encourage our customers that are experiencing difficulties in terms of payment to make contact with the rates department as soon as possible. This should help ensure a strengthening of the current position for the year ahead,” Mr Gilligan explained.
Cllr Liam Galvin (FG) welcomed the fact that Council were not taking a heavy-handed approach to rate collection. He suggested that public representatives should be kept informed on problematic rate collection cases in their areas as he believed their local knowledge could be of benefit.
However, Cathaoirleach John Sheahan (FG), said he would be wary of such a set-up as he believed it wasn’t right to give out people’s personal details.
Cllr John Egan (FG) told Mr Gilligan that he liked his approach to rate collection and said he was also happy to see the local authority were not taking a heavy-handed approach.
Meanwhile, Cllr Jerome Scanlon (FG) welcomed the Council approach allowing customers in difficulty to pay commercial rates in instalments.
