Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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408. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the most recent local government auditor's report indicates that the overall debt of Sligo County Council has increased from €85 million to €94 million; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the auditor has again expressed concern in respect of the financial performance and standing of the council and its increasing level of debt; if it has been brought to his attention that the elected members of Sligo County Council, at a meeting on 2 December 2013, unanimously adopted the following motion: "Having considered the contents of the Local Government Auditors Report for the year ending 31 December, 2012 and recognising the financial crisis the council finds itself in, the elected members of Sligo County Council hereby resolve (a) to request the Minister for the Environment to meet as a matter of urgency with an all party delegation of councillors to discuss the critical financial position of the Council; (b) to request the Minister and his Department to provide necessary advice and assistance to the Council"; if he intends to meet with the all party delegation in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54164/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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It is a matter for each local authority, including Sligo County Council, to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources. The elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which include adopting the annual budget and authorising borrowing, and are democratically accountable for all expenditure by the local authority.

To enhance the financial management and audit control systems in local authorities, an audit committee, with both councillor and expert external membership, is now in place in each county and city council. The functions of an audit committee are to review financial and budgetary reporting practices and procedures within a local authority, foster the development of best practice in the internal audit function, review auditors’ reports and special reports and assess follow-up action by management, assess and promote efficiency and value for money, review risk management systems and make such recommendations to the authority as the committee considers appropriate in respect of such matters. While it is a matter for individual local authorities, including Sligo County Council, to manage their own day-to-day finances in a prudent and sustainable manner, my Department is in regular and ongoing consultation with the Council in relation to its financial position.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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409. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the annual budgets drafted by senior council officials and presented to councillors for adoption have led to Sligo County Council having the highest overall deficit balance of all county and city councils as outlined in its respective annual financial statements; if it has been further brought to his attention that Sligo County Council had a deficit of €2,815,649 in its revenue account for the year ending 31 December 2008, a deficit of €3,232,961 for the year ending 31 December 2009, a deficit of €2,463,505 for the year ending 31 December 2010, a deficit of €2,973,000 for the year ending 31 December 2011 and a deficit of €2,455,000 for the year ending 31 December 2012; and that according to the most recent auditor's report, released in November 2013, the council's total revenue-capital debt has now increased to €94 million; if he will consider introducing legislation to allow the new Sligo county manager to remove or transfer senior council officials he considers incompetent and/or inept; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54191/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 118 and 119 of 14 November 2013 which sets out the position in relation to the annual budgetary process in respect of Sligo County Council. In relation to the assignment of staff, under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, it is a matter for the manager to make such staffing and organisational arrangements as may be necessary for the purposes of carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. In this regard, it is a matter for the manager to assign duties to Council employees.