Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The community initiatives the Deputy mentioned which work very well will still be in place. It will be up to local authorities to ensure they make financial provision for them. The municipal district members will attend the plenary session of the local authority which provides for the final adoption so they will have two bites of the cherry. Town councils must work within small resources at present and must take what they get from the manager. There is very little discretion. The plenary session of a local authority will be an opportunity for a good robust exchange of views, depending on who and where one represents. In amendment No. 107 I propose to clarify the principles to be applied by the chief executive in making resources available to municipal district members for their consideration in a draft budgetary plan. It provides for the chief executive to have regard to the resource needs of the municipal district and the broader needs of the local authority. It will go some way towards meeting Deputies' concerns about ensuring municipal district members have a say and are able to make changes to the draft plan. Equally, they must return to the plenary session to balance the budget at the end of the process.