Dublin Corporation warned: set budget or face disbandment

Dublin Corporation has been given just one more week by the Minister for the Environment to adopt a budget for the year, or face being abolished by the government. The Corporation has so far failed to draw up an estimate of expenses for 2001, despite trying since early December.

In a statement, Minister Dempsey said he is taking a very serious view of the failure of the Corporation to discharge its statutory obligations. He has now set a deadline of January 12 for the estimate to be completed and warns if the deadline is missed, he may consider the ultimate sanction of removing the entire council from office.