Stock seized over €21,000 in unpaid rates
AS THE countdown to the busy August bank holiday weekend began, a Sheriff, acting on behalf of Wexford County Council, swooped in on the Courtown Hotel, and seized the stock, including the alcohol, over its failure to pay rates amounting to €21,000.
The operation was conducted on Friday morning, as the busy holiday season in Courtown reached its peak.
Wexford County Council communications officer David Minogue said that the court officers seized the goods on foot of a warrant of execution which was issued following a long-running court action taken by Wexford County Council against the operators of the hotel for failure to pay commercial rates.
He added said that Sykes Hotel Group Limited has been operating the hotel for some time, and the court action by the council sought payment of commercial rates totalling more than €21,000. When the company failed to pay, the council obtained the court warrant authorising seizure of goods at the premises.
The goods will now be auctioned by the State and the proceeds offset against the sum due, with costs incurred in the action also to be deducted from the proceeds.
Mr Minogue was keen to point out that the vast majority of the county’s commercial rates customers make every effort to meet their financial obligations.
‘The cost of unpaid rates is effectively met by those customers who do pay,’ he said. ‘The council would be failing in its duty to these customers were it not to use all of the powers available to it to secure the collection of commercial rates.’
If the value of the goods seized fails to meet the amount owing, further seizures may be carried out until such time as the full amount due has been collected. It is understood the hotel remained operational over the weekend.