Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 363: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, in view of the consequences of job losses in Donegal County Council, he will provide additional funding to the council to prevent such job losses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43510/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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It is a matter for each local authority to prioritise its spending, within the resources available to it, across the range of services it provides. Equally, local authorities must ensure full value for money for the resources invested, and seek the maximum efficiency across their operations.

General purpose grants are important in assisting local authorities to balance their budgets, and comprise about one fifth of the funding required by authorities to provide their day to day services, although the proportion varies between authorities. Local authorities receive income from a range of sources including rates, charges for goods and services, specific State grants and general purpose grants from the Local Government Fund.

Donegal County Council's general purpose grant allocation for 2009 is €41,475,164. General purpose grants to Donegal County Council have increased by some 218% since 1997.

I am satisfied that the general purpose allocation I have provided for 2009, together with the income available from other sources, will enable Donegal County Council to provide an acceptable level of service to their customers.