'Tipperary Co. Council could consider alleviating LPT with €11m in Parking Fees and Charges revenue' - Mattie McGrath TD

Independent TD Mattie McGrath has called on Tipperary County Council to clarify if it is possible to redistribute some of the revenue income it generates from Parking Fines and Charges in order to offset any refusal or reductions it may have to make toward the funding of local projects.

Deputy McGrath was speaking after Tipperary County Council CEO, Mr Joe MacGrath told County Councillors that voting down a renewal of the 10% increase in Local Property Tax charges would result in the loss of at least €1 million that had gone toward funding services in various communities across the county:

“As I understand it the local authority benefitted from €1.6 million generated from Parking Fees and charges in 2014. That jumped to over €3.137 million in 2017.

When all the years from 2014 to 2017 are combined, a total revenue income emerges in the region of €11 million.

As I have said before; I think most people will be genuinely stunned at the amount of income that is being generated for the council from this single income stream.

In light of this there is a clear and urgent need to display some kind of creativity and flexibility around the redistribution of resources; especially in light of the implicit threat to local services that is being made by Council Management if the LPT increase is not maintained.

There has to be a way of getting the balance right without always holding the threat of reduction in services over peoples head.

Clearly there is significant revenue being generated here for the County Council; the only question is what we do with that revenue and who do we prioritise according to need,” concluded Deputy McGrath.