asked the Minister for Local Government if it is permissible for a county manager to utilise credit balances carried forward on a county council's account without specific authorisation from the council (a) to pay off loans previously borrowed by the council with the sanction of the Minister and (b) to make payments for current services in excess of the amount stipulated for such services by the council in their estimate, and, if so, if he can carry a balance or part thereof from one subhead to another of the six statutory subheads.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Councils' Balances.
31.
The Management Acts provide that a manager must obtain the consent of the elected members before he exceeds the amount provided for any particular purpose in the estimate of expenses adopted by the local authority. The discharge of the balance of an outstanding loan would require the consent of the members unless the amount involved was available in the appropriate heading of the estimate. Similarly, a balance on one statutory service account cannot be transferred to another without the consent of the members.
Does "heading" in the Minister's reply mean one of the six statutory subdivisions of a rate?
Yes, it would have to fall within one of the six although it might not necessarily be the actual heading in any one of the six divisions.
But you cannot transfer a balance on Public Assistance to Housing for example?
That is really the point of the answer.
May the council do so?
Yes.
But the manager may not?
Yes, that is the situation.