Council €8M in red over Covid

Cavan County Council could be as much as €8M in the red as a direct result of COVID-19. Restrictions since mid-March have impacted on the local authority’s ability to conduct regular business and generate revenue.

Loss of commercial rates, as well as other cash-generating services and the suspension of parking charges, have all combined to take a toll on council coffers.

It leaves the local authority, like many others around the country, in a precarious position of waiting and hoping for the government to decide whether to step-up in terms of covering the loss.

“We’re hoping the government might underwrite that for us,” says Cavan Council CEO Tommy Ryan. “They’ve agreed already to underwrite some of it, and that’s to be reviewed again in June,” he added.

The initial commitment covers rates not collected between March and June, for businesses forced to close under current restrictions, with a quarter of that set to be refunded by Government. “We’re hopeful, as a sector nationally, not just Cavan County Council, we’ll be getting more refunded if the rate payers are not in a position to pay.”

Much like the plan set out nationally, Mr Ryan envisages a “phased” return to regular work for the council locally.

Around 170 council staff are currently working remotely, while others including the authority’s outdoor workforce have been tentatively brought back into the fold, albeit in line with social distancing guidelines.

“We’ve had to develop whole procedures around that,” explains Mr Ryan, with the council investing in induction training to ensure employees are all up-to-speed with all new Covid protocols.

Mr Ryan is stern when stating the Council “cannot be the cause” of a further spread of Covid-19 within the community.

He made the comment as staff resumed work on the council’s agreed roadworks programme for 2020.

The start of the €15.1 million scheme, like much else, had been delayed.

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