Rates bills rocket in Mayo village

A Mayo village faces the prospect of rocketing rates bills at a time when rural businesses are fighting to keep the lights on.

Businesses in Bohola face spiralling rates following a nationwide revaluation process.

Some 66%% of businesses in Mayo have seen their rates reduced but 30% are to be hit with increases.

Concerns have been expressed by local councillors that small businesses like those in Bohola and elsewhere in the county are taking a bigger hit than some large multi-nationals.

Bohola is home to a local shop and post office, a café, and two pubs.

Annette Clarke and her husband Pat run the shop and post office which is at the heart of village life. She is likely to face a rates bill six times higher than what her business paid out last year.

“This is something that you can’t budget for because you just don’t know what you’re going to be charged,” said Annette.

“You’re paying electricity, you’re paying insurance, you’re paying staff,” said the exasperated businesswoman.

“It’s getting harder and harder for rural communities. I finished work here at 8pm last night and I turned off the light. The two pubs only open at the weekends now and the café closes at 4pm in the evening. You knock off the light and there isn’t a sinner around. It sounds like they just want to get rid of rural businesses,” said Annette.

Businesses are questioning where the money for their rates actually goes as they don’t get the benefits.

“We have been paying rates for years and years and we get absolutely nothing for it,” said Breda Butler who runs the Cuinneog food business outside of Bohola.

Angela Meehan and Brendan McTigue set up Bohola’s newest business less than a year ago and run Gourmet Genie.

“They can’t even tell you over the phone what your rates are for. What are we getting for it? If they say it’s for street lighting well we are only open during the day we don’t even use the street lamps,” said Angela.

Small businesses are the lifeblood of villages like Bohola. 

“It’s small businesses who sponsor the local GAA and sports teams, not the big multi-nationals,” said Annette.

East Mayo councillor Adrian Forkan highlighted the plight of the businesses in Bohola at a meeting of Mayo County Council.

“This is going to close small businesses,” he warned. 

Cllr Forkan said the businesses of Bohola ‘keep the village alive.’ He also cited an example of a Kiltimagh filling station which has seen its rates jump from €8,600 in 2023 to a whopping €27,000 in 2024. A nursing home in the area faces a rates bill that will leap from €10,700 to €30,000.