Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to put to bed the rumour that the Government is not coming up with and delivering income streams for local authorities. The revised Estimate for the sector was approved today by the committee in connection with a €600 million fund for the rates waiver scheme. The Government is monitoring this closely. We are very clear that the local authority sector has achieved so much over the last number of years and indeed through Covid-19 in the way it rolled out the community call in a few days, for example. Local authorities responded to serious emergencies in terms of storms and floods. I can assure the Deputy of that. In terms of the allocation of the LPT fund, which every county and city council has now, I would also make the Deputy aware that the Department gave a special allocation of €1 million to Galway County Council which has been approved and allocated for 2020.

I hear the case the Deputy is making very clearly in terms of the sector. I have absolutely been very clear that this is under review within the Department. I just cannot go making commitments on the broad scale before the budget, which is subject to negotiations currently. The Government is very clear on encouraging people to have the most active lifestyle and also on presenting the infrastructure for them to do that. That is why we have had unprecedented investment in walking, greenways and infrastructure for outdoor recreation. I will do my very best with regard to the Deputy's ask. I would be willing to meet a delegation from the city council in connection with this issue. However, there are going to be significant asks emanating from this crisis. We are doing our very best to make what we have available go as far as it can. It presents a major challenge.

See this speech in context