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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Sep 2003

Vol. 571 No. 1

Written Answers. - Benchmarking Awards.

Paul McGrath

Question:

1306 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the estimated cost to each local authority of paying the costs associated with benchmarking for the year 2004; and if he will confirm if the grants paid to local authorities will be increased to take account of benchmarking costs. [20987/03]

Detailed information as sought in the question is not currently available to my Department. My Department is, however, currently undertaking an extensive investigation of numbers employed in local authorities which, when finalised, will enable the cost to each authority to be assessed.

The issue of benchmarking, as with all other current expenditure demands, will be dealt with by local authorities in the context of their annual budgetary process. All such current expenditure is funded from a variety of sources including specific State grants, commercial rates, rents, fees and charges for services and general purpose grants from the local government fund. The amount that will be available for grants from the local government fund next year has yet to be determined as part of the budgetary process for 2004. Local authorities will be notified of their individual allocations following completion of this process.

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