Budgets for next year allocated to the three municipal districts

THE DRAFT Budgetary Plan 2025 for Carlow Municipal District was presented to councillors at their recent monthly meeting. The budget allocation for the entire county is €7.09 million, with €1.65m allocated to Carlow MD, €1.06m for Bagenalstown MD and €1.1m for Tullow MD.

Chief executive of Carlow County Council Coilín O’Reilly informed members that in distributing the 2025 General Municipal Allocation (GMA) between the three municipal districts, he followed the requirements of the associated legislation and did so in a fair and equitable manner.

Mr O’Reilly continued: “In addition to the ever-increasing demands for enhanced and expanded services, the council has to consider budget allocations in the context of additional demands in non-discretionary areas of expenditure. Such costs include continued building cost inflation, energy costs, additional general pay costs, retained fire service pay costs and ICT security.” The chief executive pointed out that “the increasing demand for match funding for capital projects must be provided for and the ability of businesses to discharge their commercial rates liability in a timely manner is critical in terms of budget allocations”.

At the council meeting held on 9 September 2024, the members had resolved to retain the variation on the basic rate of LPT at +5% for 2025.

“However, I am conscious that the council must endeavour to maintain frontline and customer facing services at a high standard with particular emphasis on the public realm and the maintenance of parks, open spaces, and street cleaning,” Mr O’Reilly continued. “In addition, the cost of maintaining the council’s social housing stock, including general maintenance, requires increased budget allocations.” Councillors were informed that the draft budgetary plan provides each municipal district with an opportunity to allocate its portion of the General Municipal Allocation (GMA) according to its priorities. Therefore, the members of a municipal district may reallocate funding provided for that municipal district having due regard to the impact their decision will make on those services.

The members of the municipal district may also consider changes to the local charges applied in their district. The members may increase or decrease charges or decide to introduce new charges such as parking fees. Any resulting increase in income is ‘ring fenced’ for that municipal district and any decrease in income is deducted for that municipal district.