Pippa Hackett (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. As a former, albeit brief, councillor on Offaly County Council, it was apparent to me that local authorities are painfully underfunded. This causes not only a deep sense of frustration for people in local communities but also for councillors. It is disheartening to tell constituents repeatedly that there are not enough funds to deliver even basic facilities such as footpaths and public lighting, not to mention to be able to deal effectively with larger-cost projects such as providing infrastructure for public transport, facilitating non-motorised transport such as cycling or walking, retrofitting social housing and providing proper support for community amenities such as swimming pools and libraries.

Ireland has one of the lowest state subventions to local government in Europe. Coupled with the least devolved system of local autonomy of any local government system in the EU, this leaves our local government in a poor state. Maynooth university research has found that only 8% of public spending occurs at local government level, compared with an EU average spend of more than 23%, which is quite a discrepancy. This leaves local authorities over-reliant on funding streams such as the local property tax, which at times can be very difficult for some councils and their councillors to increase, as I recently experienced on Offaly County Council. Local property tax is a ticking time bomb as it will eventually have to be re-evaluated, which will probably result in an increase for homeowners. Local authorities are also highly dependent on commercial rates and development charges, which can significantly compromise local authority impartiality in deliberating on planning matters.

The Green Party would like a root-and-branch overhaul of the funding model for local government, including: an increase in funding; the devolution of more powers to local authorities in housing provision; the re-municipalisation of waste and recycling services; and support of local enterprise. We would also like borough and town councils to be reinstated as part of an overall package of local government reform to make councils fit for purpose, not only to deal with pertinent issues such as housing and infrastructure but also to deal effectively with the climate and biodiversity crisis we face.