Laois County Councillors voted to approve the Laois’s biggest ever budget at a meeting this morning.
€88,337,000 will be spent in a range of different areas to run the county next year.
Four main areas will be used to fund this – Local Property Tax Allocation of €9,065,150 (10.3%), Commercial Rates of €14,662,952 (16.6%), Government Grants of €40,768,900 (46.1%) and Goods and Services of €23,839,998 (27%).
Speaking about the budget, Chief Executive John Mulholland said there are still a number of areas of deep uncertainty.
He said: “As we strive to pull through the pandemic of the past twenty months it remains the case that there is a backdrop of uncertainty to the planning and preparation of the 2022 Revenue Budget for Laois County Council.
“The uncertainty stems from a number of factors, such as, the future trajectory of the virus and its impact on local economic and social wellbeing, the capacity of the Council to generate additional income from traditional sources of revenue, the ongoing impacts of Brexit and constraints on the Central Government purse following a period of national debt expansion.”
He also outlined how Brexit and inflation are going to be key factors going forward.
He said: “Quite apart from Covid-19 related issues it is apparent that price inflation in the energy, construction products and public tendering sectors will impact on the financial health of the Council for 2022.
“Inflation for 2022 is forecast at 2.9% and tender prices nationally jumped by 7% in first half of 2021. Energy prices have increased by 20 to 25%.
“In addition, there will be short term difficulties in the supply chain mainly associated with current global developments and Brexit complications.
“This will affect the business operations of Laois County Council and will give rise to some cost increases.”
Chief Executive Mulholland also set out what the budget aims to achieve over the next few months.
He said: “The last number of Budgets have been prepared with a view towards providing a business/community stimulus effect in the local economy.
“The 2022 Budget remains focussed on that effort but is also very much a “steady as you go” statement given the relatively unprecedented and unpredictable environment in which it has been prepared.
“In summary the 2022 Revenue Budget aims to:
“Provide assistance and support to those in need of homes and to those most at risk of homelessness;
“Continue to stimulate economic and business recovery through local development and investment infrastructure and business supports generally;
“Promote County Laois as a location of preference for remote working and environmentally friendly tourism;
“Promote a clean and pristine environment conducive to a good standard of public health and wellbeing and in particular, to build on the excellent work in bringing Portlaoise to the status of Ireland’s cleanest Town;
“Make provision for the many challenges to be addressed under the Climate Action Plan.”
County councillors approved the draft budget at a meeting today. It was proposed by Cllr Willie Aird and seconded by Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald.
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