Munster local authorities lose out in regional funding

SEVERAL local authorities in Munster will get far less money per head of capita this year from the Department of the Environment compared to councils in other regions.

Analysis of figures obtained from the department show that Leitrim will get €536.30 for each of its 28,837-strong population. In second place is Longford with €426.56 and Roscommon in third with €378.17.

Waterford faired best in Munster with an allocation of €367.53, but the remainder of the province’s authorities were way down the pecking order.

Cork County Council came in 28th on the list of 34 local authorities.

Despite being the largest local authority in the country, with a population of 361,766, it got just €151.51 per capita, which is three-and-a-half times less than the allocation made to Leitrim County Council.

Clare County Council fared worse, and came in 30th spot. It got only €141.45 for each of its 110,800 people.

Waterford City Council didn’t fare near as well as its sister authority in the county. City dwellers got €186.51 each, representing nearly half of that received by its country cousins.

The opposite was the case in Cork where the city authority received far more per head than the county.

The department allocated €26,892,180 to the city council, and with a population of 119,143 this worked out at €225.71 for every man woman and child — €74 more per capita than the allocation to Cork County Council.

Kerry County Council also didn’t do well. Its population of 139,616 ended up with €197.69 each, putting it 23rd on the list, just one place behind Waterford City Council.

People living in Limerick city got more cash than those living in the county.

The city got a grant of €223 for each of its 52,560 people, while the county’s 131,303 inhabitants got just €198.79 each. The two local authorities in Tipperary did comparatively well. The North Riding council scored marginally better, getting €293.35 per person. Those living in the South Riding area got €8 less.

Cork county councillor Sean Sherlock said it was obvious from the figures that his local authority was not getting its fair share of the cake.

“The average pay-out across the country is €205 per person, but Cork is €54 under that.

“If any county is in need of greater investment it is Cork where growth rates have been so astronomical. Cork County Council is finding it increasingly difficult to meet the demands of delivering local government services,” Mr Sherlock said.

He pointed out that the appalling road infrastructure in rural parts of the county needed addressing by the Department of the Environment.