Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

495. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he has directed Sligo County Council to include measures in its annual budget to ensure that the council will return a surplus of €1 million on its revenue account for 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44807/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The continued deterioration of Sligo County Council’s financial position is of serious concern. Sligo County Council has incurred revenue deficits for the last 6 years, has an accumulated deficit of over €19m and also has long term debt of over €120m.

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 Government policy and 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 includes adopting the annual budget, and are democratically accountable for all expenditure by the local authority. 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 consultation with the Council in relation to its financial position.

The next steps to move to a sustainable financial position need to be taken by Sligo County Council, and need to be reflected both in its budget for 2015 and through the agreement of a long term financial plan with my Department.