Mayo valuation increases are daylight robbery and forcing closures

NO wonder small businesses across Ireland are closing week by week.

One of the main reasons for their closures is the huge increase in their rates bill.

A businessman in Westport was paying €8,000 a year in rates.

Overnight the rates bill jumped to a whopping €21,000.

Daylight robbery.

I cannot think of any other way to describe the increase.

There is no way the business owner can afford to pay the huge increase.

Councillor Christy Hyland said the businessman was virtually reduced to tears when he told him his story.

The sad thing is that local councillors have no say when it comes to making valuations.

A valuations officer drives down from Dublin, has a look through business accounts and quick as a wink increases the existing valuations.

Simple as that.

We have always been told you cannot get blood from a turnip.

Obviously the Valuations Office has never heard of that age-old belief.