Sinn Féin's Lisburn Councillor Paul Butler has said that rate exemptions for non-profit making organisations should be applied across the board to the full spectrum of community, voluntary and amateur sporting organisations such as the GAA.
Cllr Butler said he welcomed the introduction of increased rate exemptions but stressed that the new rules should be applied across the board, regardless of drinking licences.
"The majority of GAA halls for example, with licensed premises are not profit making organisations," he said. "The reason they have bars is to survive financially. In most rural communities, the GAA club is the place which is certainly used as a base for the wider community.
"I think it would be disingenuous of the British government to assume that the same applies for Orange Halls. So this rates exemption should be extended to cover GAA clubs."
The Sinn Féin leader on Lisburn City Council said moves to introduce rate exemptions for non-profit making organisations should be applied across the board to the full spectrum of community, voluntary and amateur sporting organisations.
"It is essential that this rate exemption should also be fully equality proofed and an equality impact assessment needs to be carried out to measure how this rates exemption will impact on community and sporting organisations.
"I am keen to see progress made on these matters in the time ahead and especially that the GAA benefit also from any new laws on rates," he added.
