Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator MacSharry who acknowledged that I am responding to the House on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, and outlining his position on this matter.

Sligo County Council has made significant progress in achieving savings. There is also a good spirit of co-operation between the Department and Sligo County Council which was demonstrated by the Minister’s recent meeting with the chief executive and senior management of the council. All local authorities have come under serious financial pressure over the recent years of the economic crisis.

If one looks at some of the figures, for example, the general purpose grant funding, while Sligo has seen a decline it has been less than the national average decline. There are figures which I am sure Senator MacSharry and all Members of the Oireachtas, as people who have duties to all taxpayers, would like to see higher in terms of income level collection. If there are debts owed to local authorities those debts must be paid. We need to ensure we have structures within our local authorities to ensure those levels of collection are higher.

I will make sure Senator MacSharry’s comments and the transcript of this debate are conveyed directly to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.