I want to raise an important issue relating to Galway County Council. There has been a serious lack of money from the Local Government Fund for the council for many years. The perception is that Galway County Council is being punished for the fact it has not amalgamated with Galway City Council. The expert advisory group set up to examine the amalgamation recommended that the existing deficiencies relating to human and financial resources be expeditiously resolved as an essential prerequisite to the amalgamation process. Galway County Council will run a deficit of €4.5 million next year if its members decide to pass a budget. So far, all of the municipal districts have rejected the budget presented by the executive. I ask that, once and for all, the cloak is lifted on how funding is being given to local authorities and, in particular, to Galway County Council, which presides over the single biggest area geographically in the entire country. The area in question is larger than that in Cork because of the process that has happened there. Given the geographical layout of the county, it is important that it is done.

The local property tax, LPT, allocation for next year to Galway County Council is €14.5 million. That includes €2.7 million in equalisation funding. As the Deputy knows, it is open to councillors to decide whether they want to increase LPT rates. That has happened in Clare, Limerick, Donegal and Sligo, which have all decided to increase their rates by 15%. Mayo decided to increase it by 10% and Kerry by 7.5%. Leitrim and Roscommon also raised their LPT rate for next year by 15%. I wish to reassure the Deputy that there is no question of Galway County Council being punished for anything. It made its decisions. The important thing is that we provide resources for Galway County Council to be able to provide adequate services for the people it is serving. I will raise this issue with the Minister directly and ask him to come back to the Deputy.