Finneran Calls For Collective Effort To Meet Economic Challenges

He was addressing local authority councillors at the Annual Conference of the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland, which is taking place in Sligo.

The Minister said that the Government wass taking decisive steps to address the current challenges in the national economy and in the public finances.  

"Difficult choices will have to be made to ensure stability in the public finances, to maintain confidence in the economy, and to ensure that Ireland remains on course for sustainable economic and social development in the long-term", he said. 

He also revealed that his Department had contacted local authorities regarding the need for decisive and substantial measures to address the current challenges. 

He stressed the need for an acute focus on efficiency, effectiveness and value-for-money for every euro spent in the public sector and accepted that the action required will be difficult. 

He added that "In taking these urgent measures, we will not lose sight of continuing national objectives to address climate change and broader social and economic developments".

The Minister also stressed the need for local authorities to take into account the need to support local business and enterprise in the new more difficult trading environment.

Commenting on the issue of local government reform that is currently being examined by his Department, the Minister emphasised that the Green Paper published earlier this year reaffirms the importance of town local government.  

He stated that the Green Paper had proposed the empowerment of existing town councils through the devolution of decision-making and a negotiated transfer of functions from county level.  

"I am confident that town and county can work and excel together to deliver better and more accountable services", he concluded.