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Funds for ferries and Buncrana
pool
15.01.12
by Caoimhinn Barr, Inishowen Independent
AFTER two days of intense negotiation, the 2012
Donegal County Council Budget was eventually passed
in Lifford.
The new €148m budget, down more than €5m on last
year’s figure, was backed by 22 councillors while
four Sinn Fein and one Independent councillor
remained opposed to it.
The agreed 2012 financial plan included a number of
key amendments to the draft budget, which
councillors had earlier failed to agree on prior to
Christmas.
Buncrana Leisure Centre was awarded an additional
€20,000 on Tuesday giving the local facility a total
of €60,000 for 2012, the same figure it received
last year. |
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The Lough Swilly car ferry arriving
at Buncrana. |
Both Inishowen’s
ferries, at Greencastle and Buncrana, have been
boosted to the tune of €50,000 while a move designed
to boost local business will allow some start-up
companies to avail of a rate-free year if they
locate in already vacant town centre premises and
remain in operation for at least two years.
Cllr John Ryan described the budget as the "most
difficult in recent memory".
“With a massive reduction in income, including
rates, a drop of more than €2.6m in the local
government fund and a significant increase in
expenditure in certain areas due to an increase in
local charges and pension and gratuity entitlements
as a result of early retirements, we were faced with
a drop of, in effect, €10m in this year’s budget
review,” he said.
“Taking all those factors into consideration and the
situation that this local authority found itself in
with the backdrop of a hugely challenging economic
climate, I would praise the work that was done in
addressing costs, managing finances and meeting our
commitments.”
“We are in no doubt about the significant economic
difficulties that we face as a county in the coming
years but we’re hopeful and confident that the
already heavily burdened people of Donegal will
continue to get the valued services they deserve,”
he added.
The Fine Gael public representative was one of a
cross-party group of 12 councillors, who proposed a
raft of changes to the December Draft Budget
including an extra €400k for roads and a move
designed to help struggling local construction
firms.
“A new social clause in future public sector tenders
will mean that competitive local companies will be
prioritised for jobs here. Smaller firms that maybe
don’t have consultants or don’t know how to score
high in the tendering process will be assisted
throughout the process. It is important to support
local firms, who create local employment,” he said.
Cllr Ryan also said it was crucial that €60,000 was
ring-fenced for Buncrana Leisure Centre.
“That money will help keep the door open for another
year at least but the centre will still need a
significant fundraising effort from the local
community to ensure it is still open in 12 months
time,” he added.
Moville Labour councillor Martin Farren described
the passing of the budget on Tuesday as a "good
day’s work".
“All the councillors worked extremely hard to reach
an agreement. It would have been a complete disaster
for Donegal had we failed to pass the Budget and let
a government administrator come up to run the
county’s finances for the year. I am happy that we
are still in control of our own destiny and I pay
tribute to everyone involved,” he said.
Cllr Farren hailed the €50k for both ferries as
great news for the peninsula.
“It’s very important to have the Foyle Ferry up and
running for St Patrick’s Day and this money will
help in that regard. 2012 is a huge year for the
ferries with both the Clipper Challenge and Irish
Open at Portrush Golf Club set to attract thousands
of visitors to the North West in the summer,” he
said.
How the Budget breaks down
Roads & Transport €42.7m
Housing €41m
Water €29m
Finance & Emergency Services €25.5m
Community, Culture & Planning €9.5m |
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