asked the Minister for the Environment if he has received a request for an early meeting with the Laois action group against council charges; when he proposes to meet the delegation; if he agrees that the charges are a very unsatisfactory way of providing finance for local authorities; and if he will immediately make additional finance available to Laois County Council to supplement the shortfall arising from their inability to collect the charges.
Written Answers. - Laois County Council Finances.
231.
I have received the request in question and have asked for a further submission from the group on the points they wish to raise to enable me to consider whether a meeting would be appropriate.
There is a long tradition among local authorities of charging for services and I do not regard this as unsatisfactory, provided due regard is had to hardship cases.
There are no funds available to me from which to provide additional finance to Laois County Council in relation to the matter in question. I might mention that, since taking office, the Government provided an additional £31.5 million in rate support grants for local authorities, over and above the amounts provided for in the Public Service Estimates published in November last. Laois County Council's share of this is over £340,000.