Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. As he knows from what I said at the committee meeting, we will support the Revised Estimate tomorrow. I understand the CCMA has, in very detailed discussions with the Minister's officials, given ballpark figures for the non-rates revenue and the additional Covid-19 expenditure. They are not absolutely accurate. I would have thought it would have been helpful to share the figures with us so we would have a sense of the quantum of need.

The Minister is correct to emphasise that not all local authorities are affected in the same way. Smaller, rural and more tourism-dependent local authorities, such as that in Kerry and others along the western seaboard, will be much more negatively affected if additional funding is not provided to address the non-rates revenue shortfall as well as that in respect of Covid-19. Some of the larger urban local authorities, mine included, can probably absorb the cost a little better. Without the Minister telling us the exact amount, could he give us at least a ballpark figure from the CCMA? We will find out eventually so why not tell us now rather than in a week when I have to ask again?

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