Ms Kathy Quinn:

I emphasise the point about the 5%. While €80 million is collected in any one year in local property tax, €4 million is provided, keeping it at 5%. Dublin is an extreme case by comparison with other local authorities. Members may have seen in the report that 20% was taken off. There was a reduction as applied by the members. As to the balance, what happens with Dublin City Council is that it is assumed we can self-fund. Grants previously brought in from the Exchequer are substituted with the local property tax. That issue only affects Dublin city. I draw members' attention to that. Equalisation is one piece, but that is another. I take Dr. McCloughan's point. The report discusses the disparity in communities within Dublin city where one has very rich and affluent communities and others which are not. That type of funding is very important to provide for community-building processes and measures regarding the social fabric to reduce the disparity over time. That flow just has not occurred but it is very important to the city.