Tullamore, Edenderry and Birr projects boosted by Offaly property tax increase

PHOTO: O'Connor Square, Tullamore, after LED lights were turned on at the conclusion of a recent upgrade. Photo: Offaly County Council.

Over €2.5 million will be spent on three projects in towns in Offaly as funds drawn down on the strength of the 15 per cent increase in the local property tax (LPT) agreed by Offaly County Council last year.

The monthly meeting of the council heard that a total of €742,378 has been raised from the LPT increase, €100,809 of which will go towards Just Transition projects in the most impacted communities in Offaly. It is hoped that funds, as of yet unconfirmed, will also be drawn down in addition to this sum.

Details of the money raised - which is the figure for the 15 per cent increase only - were outlined by new head of finance, Mark Connolly.

Speaking at his first meeting in Offaly, he said it was going to be a “challenging time” for the local authority, “but I know this is a very progressive council”.

He described the decision taken to increase the LPT as a “very progressive move”. It had been decided to use the additional funding to develop three key projects in Tullamore, Birr and Edenderry.

The funding from the LPT increase allowed the council draw down significant additional funding for these projects.

The council has committed €240,000 to the Tullamore Street Enhancement and Urban Renewal project. However, additional funding of €960,000 has been secured from the Department of Housing – bringing the total to €1.2 million.

The Edenderry Master Plan development will involve an investment of €723,776. Funding of €201,569 has been allocated from the LPT with additional funding of €522,207 from the Department of Rural & Community Development.

The third project to be funded is the Birr Destination Town which has been allocated €200,000 from LPT funding with €412,500 from the Department of Rural & Community Development – bringing the total funding to €612,500.

“It is great to see something on the ground,” Cllr Eamon Dooly said. He added that he hoped to see the smaller towns and villages looked after next year.

“People in rural areas pay their property tax, also,” he said.

This point was echoed by Cllr Danny Owens who welcomed the plan and also hoped to see the money filtering to smaller towns and villages in the future.

It was great to see the figures broken down, Cllr Neil Feighery said. He said this will make it much easier in the future on the issue of the increase.

It was great to be able to draw down matching funding, Cllr John Carroll said. “We should be looking at what is available from the State for more community enhancement projects,” he said.

The focus on the three major towns will “benefit everyone”, Cllr Liam Quinn said. He said they would be able to reassure the public that the funding raised from the LPT would not be “soaked up by deficits”.

Mr Connolly welcomed the “very positive comments”. The increase in the LPT gave the council a “huge opportunity to leverage funds which wouldn’t otherwise be available to Offaly in the current environment,” he said.

“We have spread it around the county to try to get the balance right,” Mr Connolly said.

The council Chief Executive Anna Marie Delaney said the increase in the property tax had allowed them carry out projects of scale, following recommendations from the corporate policy group.

She said it had been decided to focus on the three larger towns as “they are going to drive economic growth”. Through the Just Transition fund, it is hoped to leverage further funding for Offaly, she said.