Mr. Graham Doyle:

The Minister is responsible for the overall policy and legislative context around the local government sector but regarding funding, the local property tax is a matter for the Minister for Finance and we administer the Local Government Fund. My colleague, Ms O'Donoghue, does all the work on that. Regarding our own funding into the local government sector, which as the Comptroller and Auditor General pointed out, is a reasonable proportion of it, along with transport, a range of Departments provide funding to the local government sector and that sector operates on their behalf and in accordance with their procedures around that funding. Each Accounting Officer will separately deal with his or her Department's element of funding disbursed through the local authority system.