Local government and boundaries

Sir, – Dr Aodh Quinlivan (February 1st) cites the as yet unpublished report of the Galway Local Government Review Committee, which apparently proposes a boundary extension for Galway city, to question the Minster for the Environment and Local Government's rejection of the minority report that recommended a boundary extension for Cork city. I hope that we can expect that the Galway report will address critical issues that, in my view, were not adequately considered in the minority Cork report.

That minority report said that the proposed boundary extension would result in a financial net loss to Cork county of between €35 million and €40 million a year and that to enable the county council “to adjust its financial position”, compensation should be paid for five years and then phased out.

However, the report provides no concrete suggestions as to how this adjustment could be achieved, nor does it show an appreciation of the scale of the adjustment.

Increasing Cork county’s local property tax by 15 per cent and its commercial rates by 20 per cent would provide just about half of the needed adjustment. Cutting the county’s local roads maintenance budget drastically would still not be sufficient. The minority report also fails to demonstrate how an additional €35 million to €40 million of annual income could address the problems of Cork city, as well as promote strong regional economic development. There is passing reference to providing initial investment support to develop central areas of Cork city. How would such investment promote the region’s economy if business in the county is being saddled with higher commercial rates and local roads suffer increasing numbers of larger potholes?

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The minority report recognises that “Cork County Council has responsibly administered the areas under discussion over many decades”.

The authors owed it to Cork county to suggest solutions to the financial situation a boundary extension would bring about and show how the economic benefits would be shared.

I hope such issues are addressed in the Galway report. In its interim report of August 2015, the Galway group showed that it recognised these needs. – Yours, etc,

TONY O’BRIEN,

Monkstown, Co Dublin.