I propose to take Questions Nos. 705, 706, 707, 713, 714 and 715 together.
The funding system that applies to local authorities is a complex one, as authorities derive their income from a variety of local sources including commercial rates, charges for goods and services and funding from Central Government.
Central Government funding of local authorities similarly presents a complex picture, with transfers, both current and capital, coming from a wide range of Departments and Offices, not solely from my Department, for a variety of purposes. Some streams of funding are delivered directly from funding departments to local authorities, while others are routed through departmental agencies.
Most of the funding sourced from Central Government and provided to local authorities must be used for specified services. These can be grouped into 5 broad programme categories: recreational, education, environment, housing and transport.
Additional detail on Central Government funding of local authorities is provided in the Comptroller and Auditor General's Annual Report, the most recent of which is accessible at the following link:
www.audit.gov.ie/en/find-report/publications/2020/2019-annual-report-chapter-2-central-government-funding-of-local-authorities.pdf
The attached sheet details funding provided by my Department, as it was then configured, across all schemes and funding sources between the years 2016 - June 2021.
Funding