Retail Ireland, the IBEC group that represents the retail sector, has urged that local authorities give retailers a 10 per cent rebate on their commercial rates bill, given the "very serious" challenges the sector is facing. Retail Ireland has written to the Chairperson of every local authority as well as to all City and County Managers to ask that this year retailers be given a 10 per cent rebate on the commercial rates bill paid in 2009 and suspend upward revaluations where necessary.

It has also written to John Gormley TD, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to ask that the Minister provide leadership and coordinate this process. In addition, the group has written to An Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD, Enda Kenny TD, Leader of Fine Gael, and to Eamon Gilmore TD, Leader of the Labour Party, to request that their councillors support such a move.

Retail Ireland Director Torlach Denihan said: "Over the last year 30,000 retail jobs have been lost and the sector is struggling to avoid further redundancies over the coming months. We wrote to the Chairperson of every local authority as well as to all City and County Managers in November to advise them of the crisis in retailing and to seek their help in saving local retail jobs. The pay of local authority staff has since been cut by Government and further adjustments are needed to get the economy back on a sustainable footing.

"Every local authority must play its part in the retail sector's efforts to regain lost competitiveness and safeguard employment. The Minister should ensure that theses payroll savings are passed on in full to the Local Authorities provided that they are exclusively used to reduce commercial rates. All Chairpersons, City and County Managers must help save local retail employment through a 10 per cent rates rebate. An Taoiseach Brian Cowen TD, Enda Kenny TD, Leader of Fine Gael, and Eamon Gilmore TD, Leader of the Labour Party all subscribe to the goal of regaining national competitiveness and we have sought their support because a rates rebate will help achieve this.

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