No rates rise planned for 2027

No increase in commercial rates is being sought by Offaly County Council for next year.

The draft budget for 2027, to be discussed at a county council meeting on Monday, has been developed without seeking an increase in the rates.

It provides for a day-to-day investment of €106 million, which Chief Executive Eoghan Ryan in his introduction to the draft budget, said aims to support the council’s goals “in key areas such as housing, roads, economic and community development and in ensuring the county is an attractive place to live, work and do business”.

He said the budget objective is to maintain core, frontline services, meet unavoidable pay, pension and statutory costs, strengthen financial resilience and direct available resources towards priorities for communities and businesses.

It balances what are described as “significant challenges” from inflation, energy cost increases and non-discretionary costs, while maintaining front-line services.

Offaly County Council has received €1.7m from central Government annually since 2021 to mitigate the impact of the loss of rates income resulting from the earlier-than-anticipated closure of the West Offaly Power plant in Shannonbridge.

However, that full contribution is due to cease this year.

“The Department has given us to understand that there will be a reducing element of funding in lieu of this support over the next four years,” Mr Ryan said.

“Once this funding has been finally committed it is the intention to ringfence it into an Economic Development Fund that will focus on attracting industry and jobs to Offaly.”

He said the council budget had been drafted on the basis that grant allocations received for 2026 will continue into 2027. Final grant allocations will not be known until early 2027.

Offaly County Council previously voted to increase the Local Property Tax base rate by 15% each year for five years (2025-2029)

Planned infrastructure expenditure in under the existing 2027–2029 Capital Programme is approximately €87 million, with expected capital expenditure of €272m over the next three years.