Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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12. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department has plans to increase local government funding in areas of rapid population growth, such as Kildare north, to meet its demands, as it directly affects the levels of service provisions that can be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35893/25]

Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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My question for the Minister of State today is on behalf of the people of north Kildare, and indeed the entire county of Kildare. What plans does the Department have to increase local government funding to County Kildare, considering its rapid population growth, to meet its demands? The demands of the people there have been directly affected by the decrease in the provision of services.

John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Neville for raising this matter, as he regularly does in this Chamber . His advocacy for Kildare is certainly well noted. As he will be aware, I was in Kildare last Thursday, when I visited the local authority and engaged with the executive team. Much of what the Deputy has raised here in his question was the subject of the discussion we had.

The system of funding of local government in Ireland is a complex one. Local authorities derive their income from a range of sources, including commercial rates, charges for goods and services provided, the local property tax, and grants from various Departments and State agencies for both capital and current expenditure purposes. The central government grant funding to Kildare County Council increased by more than 60% from €168.3 million in 2018 to €271.9 million in 2023, according to its audited annual financial statements. Across all schemes and funding sources, the Department provided €164.9 million in 2020, €218.6 million in 2023 and €233.2 million in 2024.

With regard to local property tax, LPT, which makes up approximately 6% of the sector's locally raised income, a review of baselines was completed by a working group in 2023, which resulted in an increase of €1.5 million to the baseline LPT for Kildare County Council.

We have established a local democracy task force, which had its first meeting last week, where funding for local authorities is an important stream. I will give further detail on LPT allocations in my follow-up replies.

Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State. The simple fact is that the population of Kildare has increased by 50% in the last 20 years. Although the State has grown, Kildare and especially north Kildare has outpaced that and grown rapidly. Unfortunately, the delivery of funding to the local government in Kildare, Kildare County Council, has not been kept at the same pace. That means we do not have the delivery of facilities we should have and which nearby counties have. Kildare has been at the lowest spend per capita among the councils in all other counties. It has been behind in how services are delivered. Obviously, there is always the debate that more can be done from within the councils themselves but, ultimately, funding is a key aspect.

I welcome the point the Minister of State made about the LPT and how we can maybe keep more funding within rapidly growing county councils. I look forward to hearing his further detail on that.

John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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It is the case that, through a decision made in Cabinet today on the LPT model, there will be a significant increase in LPT for Kildare County Council as part of its 2026 figures. That will be made up from an increase in the baseline figures but also from the retention element moving from 22.5% to 31%. It means that Kildare County Council will have an additional €4.9 million in funding in LPT for 2026 over and above what was provided in 2025.

Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I wholeheartedly welcome that number and €5 million extra per year is welcome news. I am also conscious that the LPT is ultimately paid by the people in the county. Much of that money is hard earned and it is welcome that we are now in a position where more of it can be retained. This money will go back towards the playgrounds, the parks and the delivery of basic services that we have all around the county. We know that we need to do more. The population is growing. Our estates are full. We can discuss a lot about housing in places like Leixlip, Maynooth, Clane, Naas and Kilcock, where a lot of houses are being built, but with this housing we need services. Every extra bit of LPT that we can retain in the county is welcome. The news is good tonight but I will keep fighting for the cause of the people of north Kildare, because I know we have been behind. Hopefully, I can continue to be able to raise these issues and to push on behalf of the people of the county.

John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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I have no doubt that the Deputy will continue to use this Chamber to be a strong advocate for north Kildare and the county as a whole. The Deputy is right about the LPT; there is a recognition in the Government of the increased pressures on areas like Kildare. That is why we are saying as a Government, in line with the decisions that have been made by the Cabinet and the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, that we will allow for a higher retention rate in areas that have a growing population, additional housing and increased pressure to provide services for the people. That is why an additional €4.9 million in LPT will be available to Kildare County Council to put towards the capital infrastructure projects that are required for the growing population in County Kildare.