Seamus Healy
Ceist:253 Mr. Healy asked the Minister for Finance if an additional allocation will be made to each local authority to cover the full cost of the benchmarking agreement for 2004. [26445/03]
Written Answers. - Benchmarking Awards.
The cost of benchmarking, including the craft workers and general operative processes, in the local authorities will be about €114 million in a full year. The question of meeting the costs of benchmarking in the local authorities is a matter for the local authorities themselves. Exchequer support for the local authorities is made through the local government fund. The use of this fund is a matter in the first instance for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The local authorities also have other sources of funding available to them from a variety of sources such as motor taxation, rates and charges and levies.