Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

I welcome the Minister of State's reply. However, what is happening is crazy. The Minister of State has confirmed the €200 charge has been already incorporated into the funding given to Donegal County Council. This means the nominal 6% reduction in this year's allocation to Donegal County Council is closer to being a reduction of 12% or 13%. As the Minister of State pointed out, €4.6 million could be accrued by Donegal County Council under this charge. This is not an extension of Donegal County Council's rates base but simply is a way to bring more money into central government and to dish it out. This levy has in no way supported any local authority. I believe it was an abuse to announce in the budget that a measure was being introduced to assist local authorities when, on the one hand, the Government gave them money through this charge, while on the other, it removed it from them.