Donegal took in €6m less in rates than it demanded last year



Donegal County Council says it was short €6m in rates last year.

The figures for 2016 were released to Independent Councillor Niamh Kennedy this week and a full breakdown on unpaid rates will be given to Donegal councillors next month.

 

Rates in Donegal account for 23% of the Council’s budget and go back into providing services to the public.

Yesterday, at a municipal district meeting in Donegal town, Independent Councillor Niamh Kennedy asked for a breakdown of rates paid in so-called second tier towns in the county, such as Killybegs and Ballyshannon.

While a figure for each town was not available, the Council did provide a breakdown of last year’s figures.

They show that rate demands for more than €31m were issued but just over twenty-four and a half million was paid from more than 5,400 properties throughout the county.

The council explained that the money collected from a business in rates is not necessarily spent in that exact area or town and therefore no data had ever been compiled for individual areas.

The issue is always a controversial one especially at present as new valuations are being calculated and sent out to every local businesses.

Ratepayers in Sligo are to get theirs next week but the figure is the value of the property only and not the actual rates they will be charged.

The issue already led to some confusion in Leitrim recently.

When businesses in Sligo get the new valuations, there will be a period of time when submissions can be made to the valuations office.



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