Options open to the council ahead of Budget ‘D-day’

There are a number of possible outcomes to tomorrow’s reconvened budget meeting in Lifford.
Despite the county manager indicating there is very little wiggle room in terms of how money could be redistributed, some compromise could be reached and the budget could be passed.
Although tomorrow is being flagged as D day for deciding the budget, the council has the option of asking the Minister for Local Government for a time extension to allow for further debate, if such a request was made, it is inevitable that the minister would allow it.
Thirdly, if a budget cannot be agreed and a time extension is neither requested or granted, the council would be dissolved and the government would appoint a commissioner.
There role would be to put the council’s business in order and most likely implement the County Manager’s draft budget – once that was done the council would be reformed.
It would be only the second time the government has had to intervene in such a fashion, the last time involved Naas County Council in the 1970’s.