Government Undermining Local Democracy – Deputy Seán Crowe
July 20, 2012
Dublin Southwest Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe, has said that Local Government Minister Phil Hogan is “undermining local democracy” by imposing further cuts in funding for councils, and linking these cuts to the Household Charge.
The Tallaght based TD said it was inevitable that this would negatively impact on frontline Council Services will be significant and far reaching
Deputy Seán Crowe said:
“Minister Hogan and his colleagues in the Fine Gael/Labour Coalition are mounting an assault on local democracy.
“By tying Local Government funding to the uncollectable and inequitable Household Charge the Coalition is putting councils in an almost impossible financial position. He is now going to impose further cuts in central government allocations for Councils for the remainder of 2012.
“In South Dublin County the Council’s allocation has been reduced by €1,900,842 reflecting an adjustment based on the level of compliance achieved to date which is supposedly running at 57% of the total. This financial reduction reflects an 11.8% cut of the overall allocation of €16,963,904 and its expected that the impact on the delivery of frontline services will be significant and far reaching.
“At the time of Budget 2012 Sinn Féin said that the cut to the Local Government Fund was unsustainable and that the Household Charge was unjust and would be widely boycotted by householders. By making local government over reliant and dependent on receipts from the Household Charge it was inevitable that this was going to negatively impact and undermine frontline services right across Council Departments.
“Unfortunately this is what appears to be happening now and it is citizens in Dublin and across this State who are paying the high price for the Governments dogged pursuit of their failed policies of austerity.
“Minister Hogan and his Government colleagues need to support and enhance local government services during this recession not undermine local democracy.”