By Claire Corrigan
“We have to make sure that we can keep the lights on and pay our bills”, Cllr John Dolan said at the latest Council Finance meeting where he asked that, with a 147% increase in energy costs, would there be a deficit in 2022.
He noted there is a possible increase in payroll coming and public-sector wage demands could cost the State at least €1.6 bn if agreed to by the Government, and he asked if this goes ahead, will the Government “cough up the difference in payroll or do we have to cover that?”
Mr Dalton said he expected that the Government funds 80-85% of increases in payroll and he would expect that to continue.
Cllr Dolan said he’s received many inquiries about the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund which aims to support bringing vacant and underused buildings back into residential use and asked if there is someone who can inspect properties and “say those are derelict buildings”.
