Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Earlier, Deputy Cullinane engaged with Mr. McCarthy on the myriad of funding streams in existence in this area. We have now learned of another one which the Comptroller and Auditor General can add to his list for next year. This defies belief. The current process is very frustrating, in particular for the people who depend on us as politicians and the local authorities to deliver efficient services. Adding a further layer of bureaucracy does not help.

When listening to the proceedings earlier in my office I heard Deputy Deering pose very good questions about the disparity in funding, which supports my point that the system was broken before the changeover to local property tax, LPT. Its introduction exacerbated the problem. I understand Mr. John McCarthy's point that no county was left worse off but some are worse off owing to the inequitable system in terms of LPT calculation. I have discussed this issue with Deputy Deering. For example, Carlow did not have as many town councils and commissions as, say, Monaghan, which was also in receipt of general purpose grants and so on.

On the general purpose grants versus local property tax, which the Comptroller and Auditor General touched on earlier, what was the final outcome in that regard?