John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister regarding the management plan. It is very important that we allay the fear that the council may be abolished. The council is willing to come up with a plan that will be acceptable to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Kelly, and work with him to find solutions to its financial problems. The Minister has met the county manager and the chairperson of the county council regarding the potential to create a plan and the urgency of putting the plan in place. The Minister has set aside €1 million for 2014 on condition that a plan of action will be formulated. I have spoken to the manager and the chairperson, and they are working on a plan for the county's future finances, which will be on the Minister’s desk in the next week. I am delighted to note that the Minister will work with the council in an amicable way to deal with the financial challenges which, clearly, have been inherited from 2008. The most important aspect of this is that the financial indebtedness of the council has been there for a number of years. The council cannot take any cuts to services in the county. We are very anxious to ensure no cuts take place and that we work out a long-term, ten-year solution to deal with the accrued debt on the council’s books. I want that assurance from the Minister of State.

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