Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I have three questions. The first relates to the €16.65 million in the Estimates for the Local Government Fund to local authorities this year as the one-off payment to meet the shortfall from the utility rates revaluations. It is a technical question. I presume that is just in the overall figure of the Local Government Fund in the report.

The amounts of money involved are significant for many local authorities. I have tabled parliamentary questions to the Minister on this matter but I am still not clear on the position. Will he indicate if the Department is currently looking at repeating that subvention of €16.65 million for next year or has a decision been taken that it absolutely will not be rolled over? The impact on local authorities will be huge. For example, the amount in the Chairman's own local authority area was €752,000. In Deputy O'Dowd's area of Louth it was €287,000 and in Deputy Mattie McGrath's area of Tipperary it was €409,000. In Wicklow, it was €500,000. The amounts of money involved are significant. Perhaps the Minister will clarify where the money to which I refer is located in the Estimates, if discussions are taking place in the context of including it in next year's Estimates or if there will effectively be a cut of €16.65 million in the local government fund to local authorities?

I have two other questions. Is it intended to review the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP? It is just a relatively new programme. Perhaps the Minister will also clarify the situation with regard to the RAPID programme. I am assuming RAPID will stay with the Minister's new Department along with SICAP?