Council budget meeting in Tipperary branded a 'disgrace' over rates hike debacle
Independent Cllr Liam Browne said the "meeting was a disgrace".
The Tipperary County Council budget meeting on Friday last has been branded a "disgrace" over the commercial rates hike debacle.
The local authority's management has made a proposal to raise commercial rates for local businesses by 5% but it isn't sitting well with some Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael councillors and they failed to pass the 2026 budget last Friday.
Independent Cllr Liam Browne said the "meeting was a disgrace".
He added: "As an Independent Councillor, I have to call out what happened at Tipperary County Council in Nenagh.
"The 2026 Budget meeting was adjourned because Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael couldn’t agree on how they wanted to vote on this year's annual budget.
"They’re now pretending to stand up for local businesses by resisting a proposed increase in commercial rates, but being honest, this is pure optics. A game to try to fool people.
"Meanwhile, because of Government policies in Dublin, businesses are being crushed under the weight of skyrocketing energy costs, rising costs of doing business, endless paperwork, and increasing carbon taxes, all policies supported by these same parties at national level.
"The hypocrisy is staggering.
"If they truly cared about businesses, they’d tackle the real issues strangling them, not play political games in the council chamber.
"Instead, their indecision delays certainty for local enterprises and risks the Council being dissolved if a budget isn’t agreed within 21 days.
"Tipperary deserves leadership, not party spin. I’ll keep fighting for transparency and common sense, because businesses need action, not empty gestures.
"Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael need to stop putting party interests ahead of the people of Tipperary."