Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

The budgetary function of local authorities is extremely important. I speak from experience as the leader of the Labour Party group on Dublin City Council for several years where there were year-on-year reductions in the commercial rates. We said at the time that it was prudent to reduce the commercial rates. It is worthwhile compiling the circular letter and including the information provided to councillors through the strategic policy committees. Often, this information is not provided in a timely manner. Generally, there is a budget information meeting for councillors which is followed very quickly by a vote on the estimates within two weeks. If councillors are to be fully engaged in setting the rate and a budget for a local authority, that engagement has to start at a very early stage. If a budget is to be set in October or November, for example, the engagement needs to be on a department-by-department basis, which is also resisted by the CEOs, formerly the county managers. It is not good enough for overall figures to be provided at a budget information meeting. If councillors really want to have that extensive control and democratisation of local authorities, then they must have the right to get the information to which I refer at a very early stage and at a departmental level. A week into the system is too late to start fiddling around with budgets. One cannot do it. The only way one can have a real impact on budgets in a local authority is to have the engagement four or five months prior to the estimates. That is the only way a councillor can act in a responsible manner. He or she can see money being moved from one section to another and that the impact this has on services.

It is not just the rates that affect local businesses, it is also the services provided to such businesses and how that happens. In my experience, this information is not given in a timely manner to councillors in order that they can act in a prudent manner. Members of Dublin City Council were given that information. I am aware that it has not operated in the past five years because the council has been in chaos to some extent. In fairness, Mr. John Tierney, the much maligned former Dublin City Council manager, bought into that level of engagement with the political parties and councillors were able to stand over the budget as a result. It was not a budget that was implemented by the manager at the time, it was proposed by the councillors who took questions on that budget. When looking at powers and if we really want to empower people by sending out circular letters relating to budgets and estimates, it would be very prudent if the Minister of State issued a circular letter in the new year instructing the CEOs of local authorities to carry out proper engagement with councillors at a very early stage.