Major Cash Boost for Kerry County Council

Cash Boost for KCC as Almost €1 million Returned by Department.
 
Statement by Cllr. Brendan Griffin (FG)
Kerry South General Election Candidate
 
Thursday, 20 January 2011.
 
SUBSTANTIAL funding of almost €1 million has been granted to Kerry County Council in respect of works carried out by the Council at Knightstown Harbour, Valentia.
 
During discussions on the 2011 Council Budget, it was confirmed to Fine Gael Councillor, Brendan Griffin, that €936,432 was paid over to the Council by the Department of Community, Equality and the Gaeltacht in recent weeks.
 
Cllr. Griffin had raised the issue of monies owed to Kerry County Council by Government Departments at the November Dingle Area meeting of the Council, during discussions with a deputation of Brandon Fishermen which he had organised. It emerged at that meeting that Kerry County Council had spent €8.91 million in 2007 on coastal protection works at Inch and Harbour works at Knightstown. However, almost €4 million of that sum was still owing to Kerry County Council by various Government Departments.
 
In an effort to recover much needed finance for the Council and free up resources for possible capital projects such as Brandon Pier, Cllr. Griffin submitted a motion to the December full meeting of Kerry County Council, requesting the Council to call on the relevant Government Departments to meet with a delegation from Kerry County Council with a view to reimbursing the Council with the outstanding sums.
 
Cllr. Griffin says that he is happy with this development but that more work needs to be done.
 
“I am glad that this money has been paid over to Kerry County Council by the Department but I will not be happy until the remaining €2.98 million is paid to the Council in respect of the works at Inch and Knightstown.
 
“I have sought for a delegation from the Council to meet with representatives of the Departments owing these monies and have asked to be part of that delegation. If this money is recovered, we would have a much better chance of making progress on much needed infrastructural improvements in the county.
 
“The recovery of this finance is one of my main priorities for 2011, as this is an enormous amount of money in the current climate. €3 million would go a long way in Kerry at the moment. Half of that sum would extend Brandon Pier and widen Listry Bridge for example.
 
“I will continue to push this issue until every last cent is recovered.”
 
For further info. please contact Brendan on 087 652 8841

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