Madam, – I refer to your interesting report on the costs to business in Dublin city for services provided by the City Council ( The Irish Times, February 19th).
Dublin City Council is acutely aware of the importance of supporting and fostering the commercial business life of the city and particularly aware of the substantial contribution, of about 32 per cent, which commercial rates provide to the city budget. In this regard it is worth noting that the increase in the commercial rate has decreased every year for the past four years and the increase for the present year – 3.3 per cent – was also below the prevailing rate of inflation in 2008.
Vibrant and expanding business activity is vital to the development of the city, both in terms of employment and in providing the financial support to enable the City Council to expand its services throughout the area. It is worth noting that the current revenue budget of €929 million and the budgeted capital expenditure of around €600 million mean the council will spend €1.5 billion in 2009. This is a very significant contribution to the economic life of the city.
In addition to commercial rates, your report lists a number of other costs facing businesses for services provided by the council. Among the items listed is the contribution to the Business Improvement District Company (BIDS), which operates in the city centre.
This is a voluntary expenditure by city-centre businesses following a plebiscite in which 77 per cent of them approved it. BIDS payments go towards improving the city centre environment..
This is a fine example of the business community and the City Council working together to improve the area for the benefit not only of businesses, but also of all those using the city – workers, shoppers, visitors, etc.
The City Council also benefits from the very generous voluntary contributions to its policy committees from the Chamber of Commerce and the Dublin City Centre Traders’ Association. Indeed it was with some surprise that I noted the comments attributed to Mr Tom Coffey of Dublin City Business Association in the context of including BIDS levies among the “costs” listed in the article. Mr Coffey has played a very positive and much appreciated role in the finance strategic policy committee of the City Council, particularly in his consistent support for the establishment of the BIDS company. – Yours, etc,