Cash-strapped Council plans property tax hike

Householders across County Galway are facing the prospect of a 15% hike in their property tax – so the cash-strapped local authority can continue to deliver essential services.

The increase would generate additional income of more than €2 million – whereas the only other option is to slash funding on roads, housing and the environment.

Galway County Council chiefs outlined a grim financial position to their 39 councillors and suggested that, if the increase in property tax was not achieved, there would be savage cuts across the board.

Councillors are unlikely to agree to such an increase – but they will then face the prospect of overseeing significant cuts to the local roads budget.

Ironically it is understood that the Fianna Fail members on Galway County Council were actually going to table a motion seeking a reduction in the property tax but it is not thought likely that this will happen.

Earlier this week all 39 members of Galway County Council received an email from Chief Executive Kevin Kelly outlining the dire financial situation that the local authority is in.

In the memo to councillors, Mr Kelly explained that the Council were not in a position to raise the commercial rate on business premises until the rates in Ballinasloe, a former Urban District Council, fall in line with the rest of the county and this will not happen until

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.