Budget Day at County House as councillors discuss income and expenditure for 2016

Donegal County Council meets in special session today to discuss its draft revenue budget for 2016.
The council will spend almost €133 milion in 2016, almost €1.6 million more than last year.
The biggest single area of expenditure will be payroll and staff costs of over €52 million, 39% of the total. A further €9 million will be spent on pensions.
€6.6 million has been set aside for refunds and provision for bad debt.
Commercial rates remain the council’s biggest source of income, followed by the local government fund and local property tax.
However, the council will be under pressure to raise revenue, particularly if there is no resolution to the
loss of almost €700,000 as a result of a revaluation of the rates bills for six national utility companies.
The council was informed of the change 2 weeks ago, prompting Sinn Fein to launch a campaign to have the revaluation reversed claiming it will create serious problems.
The county manager has indicated that a number of options, including an appeal, are being considered.