Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Rate Support Grants. – Dáil Éireann (26th Dáil) – Wednesday, 27 Nov 1991

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Rate Support Grants.

Brendan Howlin

Ceist:

6 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Environment when the rate support grants and the road grants will be notified to local authorities.

7 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment if in view of the delay by his Department in indicating the amount of the 1992 rate support grant to local authorities, he will extend the statutory deadline this year so as to allow councillors sufficient time to adequately consider the implications of the rate support grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Pádraic McCormack

Ceist:

19 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for the Environment when the rate support grant will be notified to Galway County Council and Galway Corporation.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

40 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment if the local authorities have yet been notified of their rates support grant for next year; the reason for the delay in notifying the local authorities in this regard; the amount of rate support grants for each local authority and the way this compares with the previous year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Jimmy Deenihan

Ceist:

49 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment when he will announce the rate support grant for each local authority for 1992; and if he will outline the level of grant for each county.

John Connor

Ceist:

51 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for the Environment when he will approve the level of the rate support grant for local authorities for the 1992 financial year; and if he intends to grant a time extension to councils who find that the statutory period for consideration of estimates will have expired before the announcement of the rate support grant.

Brendan Howlin

Ceist:

93 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Environment when the 1992 rate support grant and road grants will be notified to local authorities.

Jimmy Deenihan

Ceist:

94 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment if he will outline the rate support grant for each local authority for (a) 1991 and (b) 1992.

Alan Shatter

Ceist:

99 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for the Environment the rate support grant to be made available in Dublin County Council for 1992; and if he will outline the amount allocated in each of the last ten years.

Jimmy Deenihan

Ceist:

100 Mr. Deenihan asked the Minister for the Environment the level of rate support grant for each local authority in (1) 1978 and (2) 1991.

Dr. O'Hanlon

I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 7, 19, 40, 49, 51, 93, 94, 99 and 100 together.

Local authorities were notified by my Department on Friday last, 22 November 1991, of their rate support grant allocations for 1992. The allocations for 1992 are the same as the amounts allocated for 1991 and I propose to circulate a tabular statement of the amount for each local authority in the Official Report.

In relation to allocations for earlier years, I refer to Question No. 166 of 15 November 1988 for details of rate support grants for each year from 1980 to 1987; to Question No. 167 of 30 October 1991 for the 1988 and 1989 grants; to Question No. 57 of 20 June 1991 for the 1990 grants and to Question No. 198 of 27 November 1990 for the 1991 grants. The 1978 allocations are set out in a second tabular statement to be circulated in the Official Report. I should point out, of course, that simple comparisons between the allocations for different years would be quite misleading, since it is necessary to take into account also the various other adjustments in local financial arrangements made since 1978, including the elimination of levies and demands, the writing-off of local loans fund repayments, and the provision for direct rate payments by the ESB.

Local authorities are obliged to hold a statutory estimates meeting within periods which are prescribed in the Public Bodies Orders. County councils must hold their statutory meetings between 1 October and 16 November. In the case of county boroughs and urban district councils, the period is 1 October to 30 November. However, section 10 of the City and County Management (Amendment) Act, 1955 allows local authorities, once they hold the estimates meeting, to adjourn the meeting as often as they wish provided that the estimates of expenses are adopted within 21 days of the date on which the statutory estimates meeting commenced. While the prescribed periods for the commencement of statutory estimates meetings may be varied by regulations, the 21 day period for adjourned meetings is fixed by statute.

It is normal practice for most local authorities to consider the annual estimates over a number of meetings and this has been the situation in respect of 1992 estimates. While I acknowledge that it is desirable to have an early indication of the level of the rate support grant for estimates purposes, I believe that the date of notification of the grant allocations for 1992 has not unduly interfered with consideration of estimates. I recognise that the adoption of the annual estimates of expenses by local authorities before the commencement of the financial year has proved to be conducive to improved financial management over the past four years and I intend to adhere to this strategy and to facilitate it as far as possible.

Pending the completion of the Government's consideration of the estimates for the public services in 1992, I am not in a position to determine the road grant allocations to local authorities for 1992. However, I will notify the authorities of these allocations as early as possible.

Rate Support Grant Allocations 1992

	£
County Councils
Carlow	1,871,424
Cavan	3,876,444
Clare	132,710
Cork	10,041,380
Donegal	5,428,362
Dublin	20,042,427
Galway	7,143,371
Kerry	3,466,022
Kildare	4,277,837
Kilkenny	3,513,627
Laois	2,989,756
Leitrim	2,396,544
Limerick	5,637,010
Longford	2,065,306
Louth	2,490,381
Mayo	6,277,492
Meath	4,801,515
Monaghan	3,348,018
Offaly	2,268,518
Roscommon	4,531,944
Sligo	2,592,867
Tipperary NR	3,255,101
Tipperary SR	4,309,282
Waterford	3,822,668
Westmeath	3,206,380
Wexford	4,531,679
Wicklow	3,502,310
County Boroughs
Cork	4,561,920
Dublin	23,060,368
Galway	1,985,201
Limerick	2,412,753
Waterford	1,216,166
Urban District Councils
Arklow	231,206
Athlone	292,378
Athy	62,208
Ballina	209,434
Ballinasloe	129,600
Birr	125,453
Bray	882,317
Buncrana	46,450
Bundoran	80,870
Carlow	58,061
Carrickmacross	49,503
Carrick-on-Suir	103,680
Cashel	71,539
Castlebar	151,373
Castleblayney	38,362
Cavan	109,901
Ceanannus Mór	27,820
Clonakilty	60,134
Clones	80,870
Clonmel	434,419
Cobh	256,090
Drogheda	664,495
Dundalk	1,008,465
Dungarvan	185,587
Dún Laoghaire	3,815,424
Ennis	183,604
Enniscorthy	82,055
Fermoy	71,539
Kilkenny	320,371
Killarney	149,299
Kilrush	33,115
Kinsale	42,417
Letterkenny	145,175
Listowel	116,122
Longford	161,399
Macroom	60,134
Mallow	115,085
Midleton	71,539
Monaghan	185,533
Naas	34,580
Navan	66,355
Nenagh	110,938
New Ross	127,630
Skibbereen	73,321
Sligo	409,536
Templemore	79,834
Thurles	101,606
Tipperary	83,981
Tralee	420,941
Trim	51,840
Tullamore	109,901
Westport	96,422
Wexford	312,077
Wicklow	118,195
Youghal	144,115

Rate Support Grant Payments 1978

	£
County Councils
Carlow	784,125
Cavan	2,426,845
Clare	2,786,024
Cork	7,980,598
Donegal	3,884,170
Dublin	16,347,778
Galway	4,827,774
Kerry	3,590,891
Kildare	1,684,075
Kilkenny	1,585,530
Laois	1,493,231
Leitrim	1,471,450
Limerick	2,895,790
Longford	1,190,327
Louth	996,132
Mayo	4,823,514
Meath	1,969,390
Monaghan	1,651,388
Offaly	1,387,449
Roscommon	2,841,172
Sligo	1,594,641
Tipperary NR	1,708,181
Tipperary SR	1,751,789
Waterford	1,655,595
Westmeath	1,489,271
Wexford	2,319,169
Wicklow	1,815,604
County Boroughs
Cork	4,230,943
Dublin	19,498,799
Galway	1,365,496
Limerick	1,980,389
Waterford	982,135
Urban District Councils
Arklow	159,233
Athlone	198,222
Athy	50,684
Ballina	201,877
Ballinasloe	105,102
Birr	87,868
Bray	546,623
Buncrana	63,328
Bundoran	56,233
Carlow	208,717
Carrickmacross	53,840
Carrick-on-Suir	83,778
Cashel	48,695
Castlebar	154,887
Castleblayney	41,561
Cavan	82,603
Ceanannus Mór	29,785
Clonakilty	45,212
Clones	64,563
Clonmel	270,058
Cobh	157,961
Drogheda	564,900
Dundalk	768,883
Dungarvan	140,453
Dún Laoghaire	2,471,308
Ennis	131,212
Enniscorthy	99,442
Fermoy	68,015
Kilkenny	247,443
Killarney	173,249
Kilrush	40,784
Kinsale	41,828
Letterkenny	141,663
Listowel	81,901
Longford	89,056
Macroom	50,320
Mallow	147,292
Midleton	61,914
Monaghan	194,755
Naas	115,238
Navan	64,782
Nenagh	110,185
New Ross	110,795
Skibbereen	53,821
Sligo	377,550
Templemore	44,011
Thurles	133,174
Tipperary	92,971
Tralee	341,056
Trim	37,300
Tullamore	169,116
Westport	96,004
Wexford	262,414
Wicklow	100,391
Youghal	143,123

Mr. Howlin

I join my colleague in welcoming the new Minister for the Environment. We know each other well having served in other areas of responsibility. I welcome the belated notification of the rate support grant received some 48 hours ago and, of course, I claim no responsibility for nudging the Minister on in that regard. Will the Minister accept that the allocation made this year means a freezing of last year's rate and has meant in reality that since the Minister's party came into Government local authorities have suffered a 50 per cent cut in the rate support grant? Will he accept that that has had a devastating effect on employment and services provided by local authorities and has crushed the autonomy of local councillors? Will the Minister accept that it is virtually impossible for any local authority to strike a rate this year without further cutbacks in services and employment?

Dr. O'Hanlon

No, I do not accept that there has been a 50 per cent cut in the grants. For example, last year and the previous year there were increases of 3 per cent and 3.5 per cent which was in line with inflation, and that was given to each local authority. The local authorities have responded very well to the national financial situation which the Deputy is aware of and which the Government have had to grapple with over the last four years. So far this year 12 county councils, one borough council and 24 urban councils have adopted their rate for 1992.

Mr. J. Mitchell

The rate support grant has been notified very late to local authorities. While I acknowledge that some local authorities have proceeded to strike their rate, will the Minister acknowledge that a small number will have difficulty in meeting the deadline because of that late notification? Will the Minister be sympathetic to local authorities who request that that deadline be extended by a few days?

Dr. O'Hanlon

It is not usual to extend the time. There is a statutory period of 21 days within which councils are obliged to adopt their estimates. The estimates of expenditure should be adopted within 21 days of the date on which the statutory estimates meeting commenced. I have had one request so far to extend the time, and that is under consideration.

Mr. J. Mitchell

Will the Minister give an assurance that if any council have difficulty in striking a rate on time and extend their consideration of the estimates for a few days beyond the statutory limit, he will not dissolve that council but will give them some time because of the lateness of the notification of the rate support grant?

Dr. O'Hanlon

The Minister prescribes periods during which the statutory estimates meetings must be held and it is up to each local authority to select the date for their meeting within the prescribed time. The times set down are as follows: for county councils between 1 October and 16 November; for county boroughs and urban district councils between 1 October and 30 November and for other bodies between 1 and 30 October. Once an authority hold their meeting they are locked into a statutory time limit which I cannot extend. The Act lays down that an authority can at their discretion adjourn the meeting as often as they wish but they must adopt the estimates within 21 days of the commencement meeting.

Nearly all local authorities consider their estimates over a number of meetings before adopting them. I can tell the Deputy that three county councils and eight urban district councils adopted their estimates before the rate support grant allocations were notified and that most of them anticipated no increase in the rate support grant for 1992. I accept that in the past some local authorities failed to adopt their estimates within the prescribed period but did so subsequently when formal departures from the estimates periods were granted following requests by individual authorities. If any local authority fail to adopt their estimate within the prescribed period I will consider the situation on its merits having regard to the report of the city or county manager.

Mr. Howlin

The Minister has denied that there has been a 50 per cent cut in real terms but will he accept that the allocation for Cork County Council has been cut from £23 million in 1986 to £10 million this year, that the allocation for Wexford County Council has been cut from £6.8 million in 1986 to £4.5 million this year and that the allocation for Wicklow County Council has been cut from £5.3 million in 1986 to £3.5 million this year?

In real terms, taking inflation into account, those are the figures I am talking about. Will he accept that it is highly unlikely that Cork City Council will be able to strike a rate because they are unwilling to make massive cuts? What is the Minister going to do about this?

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht - Wednesday, 27 Nov 1991