A DONEGAL County Councillor is calling on all local Councils to write off all rates for businesses who are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fine Gael Councillor Martin Harley said it would be a short-term solution designed to ‘get the country going again’.
“No matter what time this year that many businesses are allowed to operate again the turnover will not be near the level of previous years,” Cllr Harley said.
“There will be numerous businesses, especially small ones, that will never open again but we need to try and encourage as many as possible to open their doors.
“This may be one option that the incoming Government must look seriously at.
“I know personally that this will leave a shortfall in the finances to run Local Government but there will have to be a solution found at national or European level to counteract this.”
Cllr Harley has called on a special VAT rate to be introduced in the hospitality industry for 12 months.
He said: “They have lost the 2020 season and will need to build up the whole sector again.
“The new VAT rate would have two benefits to the national finances: firstly it would get the industry up and running again and secondly it would get people back to work so in doing so save on social welfare payments.”
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