Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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I want to get it into my head about how things actually happen, for example, in relation to motor tax. I believe that was ring-fenced in 1997 for the local government fund. In fact, many things were bundled together at that point, including the abolition of water charges and property tax at the same time. This was being made into the local government fund and ring-fenced for that. Funds were collected online and at local government offices acting as agents for the motor tax office, the money was transferred to the Department with responsibility for the environment and a general purpose grant was paid out to local authorities. The general purpose grant is gone and the local property tax has been introduced. The money continues to be paid to the Department and some of it goes to Irish Water. Who decides what funding goes to Irish Water and where does the rest of it go?