Community not-for-profit childcare to be exempt from commercial rates – Coughlan

Fine Gael Senator Paul Coughlan has today (Thursday) said that a rates exemption will benefit services available to children in not-for-profit childcare facilities.

“An amendment was introduced in the Seanad today to the Valuation (Amendment)(No.2) Bill 2012 which means not-for-profit community childcare providers will be exempt from rates. This will be a major boost for community childcare providers.

“Community childcare facilities are extremely important. This change will mean that up to 1,000 community childcare providers will no longer have to pay for commercial rates, representing 30% of the sector.

“The Government supports childcare and early education providers in a number of ways, most significantly through the free pre-school year scheme. Exempting not-for-profit childcare facilities from rates will provide further assistance to these extremely important facilities that need any money they may have to support the service they provide.

“Enactment will happen early in the New Year in 2015.

“I welcome the introduction of this amendment as I believe that it will make a real difference to the community childcare schemes that are so valuable in the community and I have made representations to the Minister in this regard.