Ennis Chamber against proposed 8% rise in Commercial Rates
Press Release November 25, 2025
Ennis Chamber against proposed 8% commercial rates increase
Clare County Council has proposed an increase of 8% to commercial rates next year. This comes as a blow to businesses, especially commercial businesses operating in Ennis, who are just about to put three years of costly disruptions behind them.
“The businesses in Ennis need a respite, an opportunity to win back custom after the disruption cause in recent years by continuous Public Realm works”, said President of Ennis Chamber Diarmuid McMahon.
He continued, “In addition to the pain caused by the works, which undoubtedly will make Ennis a more attractive town in the long term, most businesses in Ennis have been hit by punitive revaluation of their commercial rates liability in recent years. Furthermore, Clare was one of only three counties in Ireland to increase commercial rates effective from 2022, as the country came out of Covid. At that time commercial rates were increased by 3.8%. The only other counties to increase commercial rates at that time were Cork and Leitrim. Now we find out that a proposal to increase commercial rates by a whopping 8% will be voted on tomorrow, at a time when the costs of doing business have escalated.”
Cost Pressures
Cost pressures faced by businesses include an increase in payroll costs, auto-enrolment is due to start in January, energy costs have risen substantially, non-owner-occupied businesses have seen rents rise, and insurance costs have risen, with higher premiums squeezing margins.
For the many small businesses who say they no longer have long-term liquidity, the proposed 8% commercial rates hike by Clare County Council could prove a deciding factor on whether their business can survive into the future.
“For some businesses the proposal by Clare County Council to increase commercial rates by 8% is bleak news,” concluded Diarmuid McMahon.
The vote on the rates increase takes place tomorrow, Wednesday November 26th. The ultimate decision regarding the proposed increase rests with the elected members.
Ends.
