Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 September 2016
339. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department received a request for additional resources from the chief executive of Sligo County Council; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the chief executive of the council is seeking the additional resources due to a number of factors (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26895/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra340. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department received a request from Sligo County Council to approve the filling of vacant positions in the Sligo county library service; when the request was received; the number of positions for which approval was sought; if the filling of any vacancies were approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26896/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 339 and 340 together.
It is a matter for each local authority, including Sligo County Council, to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources. The elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which include adopting the annual budget and authorising borrowing, and are democratically accountable for all expenditure by the local authority.
Sligo County Council’s financial position is a matter of serious concern. While it is the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own day-to-day finances in a prudent and sustainable manner, my Department has been in regular consultation with the Council in relation to its financial position, resulting in the agreement of a long-term financial plan in December 2015. Further discussions have taken place between my Department and the Council during 2016 regarding the expenditure saving targets set out in the financial plan, including a meeting held on 7 September 2016 at which the Council supplied details of a number of issues associated with the advancement of the plan targets.
On 21 September 2016, I met with a delegation on behalf of the Council, including the Cathaoirleach and the Chief Executive; at the meeting, the Council provided a statement of their current position which included requests concerning financial and staff resources. It was agreed at the meeting that the Council will now prepare and submit for consideration a detailed formal outline of issues affecting the implementation of its financial plan, and the associated financial impacts, which, once received, my Department will consider carefully.
