THE issue of rates in Fermanagh was discussed in the Assembly on Monday, with Sinn Fein’s Phil Flanagan describing it as “particularly worrying” for business owners.

The Fermanagh-south Tyrone MLA invited Finance Minister Simon Hamilton to join him in the county to meet with the local business community to explain how the Executive was dealing with it.

Mr. Flanagan said it was important that the Minister heard from those “who are anxious about the continuing rises in various cost bases”.

Minister Hamilton said he accepted it was an issue that caused “great concern” but reiterated to the House that “there will be no sudden and excessive rate increases” as a result of the merger of councils, including the amalgamation between Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.

“I am happy to communicate that in whatever way I can, particularly to businesses that are going through revaluation at the same time,” he said.

But Minister Hamilton added that he was unable to accept Mr. Flanagan’s invitation.

“Unfortunately, I am sorry to have to inform the Member that, perhaps not for the first time, Arlene Foster [Enterprise Minister and Fermanagh-south Tyrone MLA] has beaten him to it. I have accepted an invitation from her to speak to businesses in the Fermanagh area,” he said.

UUP MLA Tom Elliott thanked the Minister for bringing the information to the House, adding: “although I appreciate that it is limited at the moment, and there is more meat to go on the bones”.

“He said that there was an endorsement from the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation about rates convergence and that it had carried out an external assessment of the options. Will the Minister make that assessment available, along with the options, in the consultation?” asked Mr. Elliott.

“I appreciate the Member’s point that the information is limited,” replied Minister Hamilton, “but I still think that it is important to update the House and, by extension, the people of Northern Ireland about our intentions, particularly around rates convergence”.