Seanad debates

Wednesday, 1 July 2009

Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed)

 

8:00 pm

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

I have spoken to those in the finance departments of local authorities who say that cash flow is a massive problem. If a county council has €1 million which it must give to its town councils having collected it in March 2010 and holds on to that money until December that will benefit the local authority, not the town council. Holding onto the money for eight months makes a massive difference because it reduces interest rates and has the opposite effect on the town council. Most local authorities run on overdrafts and high interest rates. Should the legislation not state that a county council shall each year within one month of the 31 March deadline pay each town council? The Bill gives them the scope to do this any time within the year.

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