Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The local property tax, LPT, allocation for next year to Galway County Council is €14.5 million. That includes €2.7 million in equalisation funding. As the Deputy knows, it is open to councillors to decide whether they want to increase LPT rates. That has happened in Clare, Limerick, Donegal and Sligo, which have all decided to increase their rates by 15%. Mayo decided to increase it by 10% and Kerry by 7.5%. Leitrim and Roscommon also raised their LPT rate for next year by 15%. I wish to reassure the Deputy that there is no question of Galway County Council being punished for anything. It made its decisions. The important thing is that we provide resources for Galway County Council to be able to provide adequate services for the people it is serving. I will raise this issue with the Minister directly and ask him to come back to the Deputy.

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