Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 February 2017
269. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the details of representations made in the past year to his Department regarding the funding crisis in Galway County Council; the response of the Department to these representations; if there is ongoing dialogue between the county council and his Department in relation to this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7451/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is a matter for each local authority 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 are responsible 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.
At a recent meeting, the Chief Executive of Galway County Council raised the issue of the councils’ funding position with me. He also provided me with a submission on the matter, which is being examined by my Department.
My Department has worked closely with the local government sector in recent months through the County and City Management Association in the preparation of a consistent and evidence based approach to the various funding pressures, on a sector wide basis. This work helped inform decisions concerning the distribution of resources within the parameters of the national and fiscal budgetary position and the competing priorities presenting themselves at Governmental level. Notwithstanding these competing priorities I ensured, in the approach to Budget 2017, that funding for the sector was secured in a number of areas, including in respect of pay costs and water related costs.
