Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In reply to an earlier question of mine the Minister stated the Thornhill report is a confidential report for his perusal before it is brought to Cabinet in five or six months and before a decision is made in the budget. My question is about the commentary since the publication of the local government reform document last week. I will ask him the question again. In addition to the local government fund which the Minister says will be derived from a tax collected centrally by the Revenue Commissioners, he has since said that local authorities will have the power to raise funds in addition to that. I ask him to clarify that if and when local authorities seek funding for some project which the Minister decides will be funded by a local tax that he will authorise the local authorities to augment the Central Fund by the collection of local taxes.

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