Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Perhaps the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform should be here. There is something seriously wrong when we get an answer that they have not increased or decreased the property tax. That is an unacceptable answer. What we have is management, the CEO, who is on a substantial salary, and the director telling us they need approval if they are going to take on new staff. There is a simple and straight answer to that. If the Minister of State is not able to give it, he should just tell us that.

When I get an answer like this, I point out that I spent 17 years on the council and know exactly what powers local authorities have. We have a city manager saying the city council does not have the approval of the Department, or at least the director of services is saying that. We then have a practical matter like a panel for general operatives that was not extended so we could have avoided this break in service. One of the answers given was that they need the approval of the Department even for an addition to the employment of general operatives. I find that very hard to accept because I understand it is only above a certain grade and a certain salary that they need the approval of the Department. Will the Minister of State clarify that for me tonight? Does the city council need the approval of either Department in regard to extending a panel for general operatives so there is no gap in services or taking on extra general operatives or both? Does that need the approval of the Department?

Generally, does the Minister of State think it is acceptable for a city like Galway, destined to be the city on the western side that will balance the development of Dublin, which is out of control, to be struggling to provide basic services, something as basic as the collection of a bulky service which the people of Galway have come to use and trust? Is that acceptable? How are we going to tease this out? We have this presentation from the management in regard to the amount of duties and obligations they have and the staff they need. We then have an answer like this from the Department. Something is seriously amiss.

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