Mr. Sean Mullarkey, Head of Finance summarised the main provisions of the Budget as follows:

Total Expenditure Budget                                             €75,431,200

Housing & Building                                                          €9,259,100

Road Transportation and Safety                                €30,288,300

Water Services                                                                  €6,235,900

Development Management                                        €9,938,300

Environmental Services                                                 €8,105,000

Recreation and Amenity                                                €5,228,800

Agriculture, Education, Health and Welfare          €774,800

Miscellaneous Services                                                  €5,601,000

Income Highlights

•       Increase of 5% in income/expenditure or €3.4m from €72m in 2023 to €75.4m in 2024

•       Maintaining 15% increase in LPT equates to €540k

•       €1.77m increase in LPT from Exchequer

•       No Rates income increase is proposed

•       IPB Dividend reduced by €99k to €98k

•       Building Momentum Agreement (Lansdowne Rd) increased by €376k to €4.5m in 2024. Covers salaries, pensions etc.

•       €1m expenditure for Fire Service Salary increases matched by income from the Department

•       Income from Uisce Eireann is reduced by €700k as staff transfer from RCC to UE. There is a contra entry expenditure match.

•       NPPR income for 2024 will be reduced by €100k to €26k

Local Property Tax  aintained at 15% equalling €540k allocated to following headings:

o   €255k: General Municipal Allocation (GMA)

o   €120K: General Roads

o   €75k: Graveyard Voluntary Grants

o   €60k: Tidy Towns & Amenity Grants

o   €75k: Town Teams Funding

Divisional Expenditure Highlights:

Housing and Building

•      €100k: Unspent from 2023 carried forward to 2024 in Emergency Repairs in Housing

Road Transportation and Safety

•      €1,100k: Increase in road grants (compared to 2023)

•      €220k: Public Lighting Operating cost Increase from €911k to €1,131k due to energy costs

Water Services

•      €700k reduction in Service Level Agreement

Development Management

•      €525k:       Loan Repayment on €5.9m Regen project

•      €71k:         Town Regeneration Officer

•      €91k:         Tourism Promotion – Connacht Fleadh €30k, Night & Day                            Festival €15k

Environmental Services

•      €1000k:           Fire Salary Increase (matched by Income) (estimated)

•      €298K:             Climate Change Salary Increase

Recreation and Amenity

•      €330k:       Parks & Open Space Increase for Public Realm Team

Agriculture, Education, Health & Welfare

•      € 50k: Lough Funshinagh Legal Fees (2023: 100K)

Miscellaneous Services

•      €330k: Increased Local Election Cost/Gratuities

Central Management Charge (CMC)

•       €500k: Increased pension costs

•       €176k: Increased support for Innovation Centres

Capital Programme 2024 – 2026

•       3 year Programme with a value of €406m to be funded as follows:

•      €387m: State grants and subsidies

•      €9.3m:       Borrowings

•      €825k:       Development Contributions

•      €8.1m:       Other

Proposed Capital Expenditure Highlights:

•       €61m for social houses

•       €5.5m for Rebuilding Ireland Home Loans

•       €11m Croi Conaithe Grant

•       €4.5m for Housing Adaptation Grant

•       €4.5m for Energy Efficiency/Retrofitting

•       €269m for Road Projects

–      €249m for N5 Ballaghaderreen to Scramoge

•       €2.5m for completion in 2024 of Castlerea Food Hub and Monksland Remote Working Hub

•       €1m Aras Energy & Ergonomic Building Efficiency upgrade

•       €3m for Civil Defence Building (Funded by RCC)

•       €6.5m for Boyle Library

•       €20m for public realm projects funded via Town and Village Renewal, Urban and Rural Regeneration and Outdoor Recreation

•       €300k for Graveyard – Four Roads priority

•       €1m for An Bealach project in Ballaghaderreen