Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2004
1222 Mr. Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding the proposal to construct new county council offices in Monaghan town on the site of the current offices; if he has replied to the council’s request for permission to raise a loan for the new offices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21863/04]
View answerNo formal resolution has been adopted by Monaghan County Council to raise a loan to extend the existing council headquarters at the Glen, Monaghan and, consequently, no formal request has been made for sanction to do so. However, in October 2003 the council advised my Department that it intended to seek sanction to raise a loan of €14 million for the proposed development. In response and in subsequent discussions, the council has been informed that the overall allocation for local authority borrowing for office accommodation in 2004 is already committed to existing projects. In the circumstances, the council was requested not to enter into any financial commitments on the proposed development.
Subject to the proposed borrowing being formally adopted by the council and meeting certain financial and other criteria, any application made will be considered within the framework of the overall borrowing limit for the local authority sector in 2005.
1223 Mr. Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding the provision of the new county library headquarters in Clones; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21864/04]
View answerOn 7 October 2003, my Department issued approval in prin-ciple to Monaghan County Council for the construction of a new library headquarters and branch library at Clones, at an estimated total cost of €4,963,000. My Department is now awaiting the submission of a detailed design and cost plan for the project from Monaghan County Council.
