![L-R: Election candidate Gráinne Seoige, pictured last week with Kieran O Malley and Dr Hannah Moloney at the National Breast Cancer Research Institute's ‘Open Night’ at University of Galway's Lambe Institute [Photo: Sean Lydon]](http://www.advertiser.ie/images/2024/10/143548.jpg "L-R: Election candidate Gráinne Seoige, pictured last week with Kieran O Malley and Dr Hannah Moloney at the National Breast Cancer Research Institute's ‘Open Night’ at University of Galway's Lambe Institute [Photo: Sean Lydon]")
General election candidate Gráinne Seoige has contacted her Fianna Fáil colleagues on Galway City Council, and asked them to not to raise taxes on local businesses.
The Connemara woman has strongly condemned a proposal by Galway City Council to levy a 15 per cent increase in commercial rates.
“I have contacted my fellow Fianna Fáil members on Galway City Council and I have asked them to consider the real life implications of imposing this 15 per cent increase, and implored on them not to do this,” she said.
Seoige called on City Councillors to reject this proposal, especially as the recent National Rates Revaluation scheme has seen some businesses see their annual local tax bill double or even quadruple.
“Wage inflation, rising energy and food costs, the introduction of pension auto-enrolment obligations, and expanded sick-pay schemes are just some of the challenges businesses have had to manage. Adding a 15 per cent hike in commercial rates on top of these burdens would be devastating for many, particularly those in the hospitality sector,” Seoige said in a statement.
“Such a measure would, if adopted by the Galway City Council, force many more businesses to close or relocate out of Galway. Along with unnecessary job losses this measure would also result in increasing vacancy in commercial units in the city. This is what Galway does not need. There are already too many commercial units vacant in Galway.
“Galway businesses are the financial lifeblood of our local economy, they are the predominant contributors to revenue within Galway City Council, last year contributing a whopping €38m in commercial rates. We need to be supporting them, not crippling them with unsustainable rate hikes, we need to start caring more for local businesses and for their employees” she added.
The Fianna Fáil Candidate was critical of the FF-FG-GP Government’s recent budgetary decision not to decrease VAT on food and beverages from 13.5 per cent to 9 per cent. Seoige instead proposed that further Government supports should be explored.
