Dear Taoiseach,
I write on behalf of the retail community in
Waterford City. There is currenty a rates re-evaluation under way here and the
increases in rates that many in the small business community in particular are
being expected to pay, will, quite simply, mean that many businesses that were
just about weathering our long downturn will now inevitably fold.
I have
spoken personally to one retailer whose rates are to jump by 750%! And this is a
person who is newly in a craft business, working alone and who has been helped
enormously by the local Waterford City Enterprise Board. What is the point of
assisting a start-up business like this with one hand if we intend crippling it
with increased charges with the other hand? To say it is counter-productive is
to put it mildly! It is crazy. For a city like Waterford which is undergoing a
huge period of difficulty and high unemployment - much higher than the state
average, how can this be justified?
We have suffered huge job losses of
which you are aware, our city is being downgraded by Minister Hogan in a move
that has been labelled as a backward step by none other than the Council of
Europe and last week, I chaired the last ever meeting of the City of Waterford
VEC which is now to be head-quartered in another adjoining Ministers
constituency of Wexford.
Taoiseach, you would not stand idly by and see
this happen in your own constituency - yet we here in Waterford seem powerless
to stop the pillaging of whatever small gains we have had, by Ministers who now
see it as their 'time' - to hell with strategies, or consequences, or even the
detriment of the entire South East Region!
Who will cry stop? Who will
halt the destruction of the oldest city in Ireland? This is your Government,
Taoiseach and you can help Waterford.
Put the rates re-evaluation on the
back-burner at least. Consider giving a Minister or Junior Minister a specific
brief for retail. Every sector from Fishery to FDI has a voice at cabinet. Why
not elevate retail which provides so many jobs? Another consideration might be
to allow Local Authorities some disretion to differenciate between different
types of businesses.
Finally, I write - in vain I know - to ask you once
again to reconsider the amalgamation of Waterford City & County. Despite
asking for over a year now I still have not received any comprehensive costings
associated with the merger. Please do not bother sending this to Minister Hogan
as he hasn't got them either. There are no costings - only savings, which when
looked at in the absence of costs is merely looking in the plus column without
the counter-balance of the minus column. It would equate with doing a SWOT
analysis with just the Strengths and Opportunites detailed - and nothing of the
Weaknesses or Threats. It is but half the job. A ridiculous and financially
unsound way to make any decision. Please look at this again Taoiseach - and at
the very least, demand the costings. Follow the money.
Yours in defence
of Waterford City.
Sincerely,
Mary Roche
Councillor
Mary Roche,
Waterford City Council,
City Hall,
The
Mall,
Waterford.
087
2273206
www.cllrmaryroche.blogspot.com
