Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)

I accept what the Minister is saying to the effect that funds to local government have increased. He quoted almost a 7% increase in funds this year, but the cost to local authorities of fulfilling their duties has greatly increased also. They are now responsible for many more services than previously. The Minister mentioned funds for national primary and national secondary roads. I assume he realises that in the eastern and southern regions, as regards Cohesion and Structural Funds, six times more is spent than in the BMW region. There is clear discrimination against the BMW region as regards the amount of funds being spent on infrastructural projects. Recent figures showed that about six times more was being spent, despite the fact that it was the BMW region that helped Ireland qualify for the higher level of grants the last time, because the GNP was less than 90% of the European average.

Will the Minister explain, despite what he says about the 7% increase, why local authorities are still charging development fees and setting up management companies? The householder is paying for this all the time. Despite the fact that the Minister gave me genuine assurances in the House more than six months ago that he would instruct local authorities to discontinue placing conditions in planning permissions for management fees, they are still doing this. I should like him to look into that again.

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