Jimmy Deenihan
Question:267 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government when the needs and resources model being prepared by his Department will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26218/99]
Written Answers - Local Authority Funding.
The needs and resources distribution model is being developed by a project team from Galway County Council in conjunction with my Department. The work to date has entailed significant input from local authorities throughout the country and preliminary results are expected within the next few weeks. The model will of course have to be tested by the project team before it can be used for distributing moneys from the local government fund.
General purpose grant allocations from the fund in respect of 2000 have already been notified to local authorities. The model will be used as a basis for allocations in the future.
Following its introduction, the needs and resources model will continue to be subject to further ongoing development and refinement. This will be required both to increase the precision of the model in reflecting the needs of local authorities and also to take account of the ongoing development and expansion of local authority services.