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Funds for ferries and Buncrana pool 15.01.12

by Caoimhinn Barr, Inishowen Independent

AFTER two days of intense negotiation, the 2012 Donegal County Council Budget was eventually passed in Lifford.
The new €148m budget, down more than €5m on last year’s figure, was backed by 22 councillors while four Sinn Fein and one Independent councillor remained opposed to it.
The agreed 2012 financial plan included a number of key amendments to the draft budget, which councillors had earlier failed to agree on prior to Christmas.
Buncrana Leisure Centre was awarded an additional €20,000 on Tuesday giving the local facility a total of €60,000 for 2012, the same figure it received last year.
The Lough Swilly car ferry arriving at Buncrana.
Both Inishowen’s ferries, at Greencastle and Buncrana, have been boosted to the tune of €50,000 while a move designed to boost local business will allow some start-up companies to avail of a rate-free year if they locate in already vacant town centre premises and remain in operation for at least two years.
Cllr John Ryan described the budget as the "most difficult in recent memory".
“With a massive reduction in income, including rates, a drop of more than €2.6m in the local government fund and a significant increase in expenditure in certain areas due to an increase in local charges and pension and gratuity entitlements as a result of early retirements, we were faced with a drop of, in effect, €10m in this year’s budget review,” he said.
“Taking all those factors into consideration and the situation that this local authority found itself in with the backdrop of a hugely challenging economic climate, I would praise the work that was done in addressing costs, managing finances and meeting our commitments.”
“We are in no doubt about the significant economic difficulties that we face as a county in the coming years but we’re hopeful and confident that the already heavily burdened people of Donegal will continue to get the valued services they deserve,” he added.
The Fine Gael public representative was one of a cross-party group of 12 councillors, who proposed a raft of changes to the December Draft Budget including an extra €400k for roads and a move designed to help struggling local construction firms.
“A new social clause in future public sector tenders will mean that competitive local companies will be prioritised for jobs here. Smaller firms that maybe don’t have consultants or don’t know how to score high in the tendering process will be assisted throughout the process. It is important to support local firms, who create local employment,” he said.
Cllr Ryan also said it was crucial that €60,000 was ring-fenced for Buncrana Leisure Centre.
“That money will help keep the door open for another year at least but the centre will still need a significant fundraising effort from the local community to ensure it is still open in 12 months time,” he added.
Moville Labour councillor Martin Farren described the passing of the budget on Tuesday as a "good day’s work".
“All the councillors worked extremely hard to reach an agreement. It would have been a complete disaster for Donegal had we failed to pass the Budget and let a government administrator come up to run the county’s finances for the year. I am happy that we are still in control of our own destiny and I pay tribute to everyone involved,” he said.
Cllr Farren hailed the €50k for both ferries as great news for the peninsula.
“It’s very important to have the Foyle Ferry up and running for St Patrick’s Day and this money will help in that regard. 2012 is a huge year for the ferries with both the Clipper Challenge and Irish Open at Portrush Golf Club set to attract thousands of visitors to the North West in the summer,” he said.

How the Budget breaks down
Roads & Transport €42.7m
Housing €41m
Water €29m
Finance & Emergency Services €25.5m
Community, Culture & Planning €9.5m
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