Ms Geraldine Tallon:

I thank Deputy Deasy. The position with regard to rates collection has deteriorated a little bit in recent years and that is, perhaps, understandable in the economic climate that we face. We monitor the rate collection level. We monitor the level of rates on an annual basis. We monitor the range of sources of income into each local authority because we provide a general purpose grant to bridge the gap for local authorities and ensure they are all able to provide an equivalent level of service. We have figures that show us the rates income, the income from goods and services and the income from all local sources, grants, subsidies, etc., and we use them in looking at the general purpose grant allocation from the local government fund to ensure financial viability.