County Council facing dissolution if budget is rejected

County Councillors could be set to reject the local authority’s budget for 2022 – a move that would result in the dissolution of the Council and trigger a local election.

Facing a €4.8 million shortfall in funds for this year’s budget – and overall underfunding to the tune of around €12 million – Cathaoirleach Peter Keaveney (FG) said this could well be the year that councillors revolt against the Government’s refusal to increase funding for Galway.

“We haven’t got the final figures yet from the Finance Department, but we do know there’s a shortfall of around €4.8 million. Councillors in all five Municipal Districts voted against local area budgets.

“It’s going to be a struggle to provide the service people need with that. If we vote against it, we’re told we’ll lose our jobs but it would send a very strong message to Government – we have been severely underfunded since 2008,” said the Glenamaddy-based councillor.

The County Council needed the almost €5 million gap for this year bridged immediately, he said, and another €12 to €14 million annually, “to operate in any proper way”.

“There is a very strong possibility it won’t go through because we are facing huge cuts to services and those are going to have consequences.

“Councillors might vote the budget down rather than let that happen,” said Cllr Keaveney.

The ruling pact on Galway County Council, consisting of Fine Gael and Independents, have the numbers to pass the budget if a deal can be struck.

However, Fianna Fáil’s Cllr Noel Thomas said he would ‘100 per cent’ be voting against it and added that councillors who rejected their local area budgets should carry their anger forward to the full Council.

“There is no point sending a watery message on MD budgets – they don’t matter,” said Cllr Thomas.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now – or you can download the online version from www.connachttribune.ie