Cathaoirleach calls on Minister to stay out of Council Budgetary Process

The Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown (DLR) County Council and Fianna Fáil General Election Candidate, Cllr. Shay Brennan has called on the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan, to refrain from attempting to influence the Council’s budgetary process.

His call comes in light of a recent tweet from the Minister, where she encouraged the public to push back on any proposals by councillors to maintain the 15% downward variation in Local Property Tax (LPT).

Councillor Brennan said, “The position of Fianna Fáil on Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council is that the LPT be varied downward by the maximum 15%, this is the same position held for the previous five years.

“The basis for this is that homeowners in DLR already pay the highest LPT in the country. This is due to an inequitable calculation method which results in residents of DLR paying three and four times the amount of tax as a similar sized dwelling outside of Dublin.

“Minister Madigan, while on Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Council Council, always voted for the maximum reduction in LPT. The Minister now seems to be calling for a reversal of this position, which will result in homeowners across the county receiving higher LPT bills.

“Although I don’t agree with her view, I do respect the Ministers right to reverse her position and to now support an increase in the LPT in DLR next year. However, I don’t feel it is appropriate that a Government Minister seeks to influence the budgetary process of the elected local authority. Her recent tweet appears to promote lobbying of local councillors to affect her view point – something which is totally unacceptable.

“Whereas local representatives are receptive to the views of their constituents, there should not be pressure brought from central government to influence any specific outcome, to do so would further undermine the already dwindling powers of local councillors”, concluded Cllr Brennan.