MD adopts 2024 budget but will ask for more funding

Councillors in the Cavan-Belturbet Municipal District have adopted a budget for 2024, but only on the proviso that members will lobby the executive for additional funding, writes Seamus Enright.

Fianna Fáil’s John Paul Feeley proposed the budget at a virtual meeting of the MD last Monday morning, November 13, but stated his intention to seek more money for the local area at the plenary sessions of the Council budget meeting next month.

Approved were sums of €25,000 towards Housing Estate Grants; €7,000 each for Festival Grants and the Environmental Grants Agenda 21; €22,200 for the upkeep of Playgrounds; €10,000 in Community Grants; and €120,000 for Discretionary Amenity.

The budget for Cavan-Belturbet is the same as that being proposed in the other two MD areas of Ballyjamesduff and Bailieborough-Cootehill.

Director of Services for the Cavan-Belturbet MD area, Brendan Jennings, explained that the budget figures are the same as 2023 in all cases except for Discretionary Amenity, which received an increase of €20,000.

“I think we should be looking at the various amount headings that have remained static,” stated Cllr Feeley as part of a wider opening gambit for additional monies.

In particular, Cllr Feeley said he would be looking for more money for Estates, Community and Festivals.

“That might be challenging,” responded Mr Jennings.

“That’s what we’re here for,” replied Cllr Feeley.

His fellow party member Patricia Walsh welcomed the allocation for housing estates, saying that even “small amounts of money” go a long away in the hands of community groups caring for their own respective areas.

She asked if “small grants” could be made available to private estates to aid work.

The adoption of the budget was seconded by Independent Cllr Brendan Fay.