County councils amend commercial rates as budgets finalised

Commercial rates were the main changes to be introduced as the budgets for both county councils were decided.

The meetings in Kilkenny and Carlow finished up on Friday evening after much discussion with both councils eventually signing off on them.

In Kilkenny, there is now one standardised way of calculating rates for businesses across the county.

Meanwhile, in Carlow, vacant shop premises will no longer be getting the 100% rates write-off that they had been availing of.

Their owners will now be required to pay 5% of the rates.

Carlow Councillor Fergal Browne told KCLR News he hopes this will motivate owners…