DUBLIN CITY manager John Tierney has said he does not intend to cut services or cancel infrastructure projects, despite facing major budget cuts in 2009.
The council will not have confirmation of how much money it will get from the Government until the details of the budget are released next week.
However it is facing a substantial decrease on the €233 million in Government grants and the local government fund, which accounted for 25 per cent of its budget in 2008.
Mr Tierney has already been told that he must reduce payroll costs by 3 per cent and cut the amount he spends on private consultants for non-capital projects by 50 per cent. He also faces a significantly reduced income from development contributions from builders and lower revenue from the sale of council land.
However Mr Tierney said yesterday that he aimed to deliver the capital programmes, including the city's social housing programmes, and to avoid cuts to services provided by the council.
"In terms of projects that have got planning our aim is to deliver them. There will be less money so we will have to see over what time span things will be done, some may take longer, but my aim is not to cancel any planned projects."
The council's budget could not be finalised until after the national budget was announced, but Mr Tierney said the bulk of council services were essential and would have to be maintained next year.
"We're hoping to maintain as close as possible the same level of service as last year. The services we provide to the city are hugely important, so we're pretty hemmed in in terms of what we could cut anyway."
To maintain the city's services, the council would increase commercial and domestic rates next year. However these increases would be "minor", Mr Tierney said.
"The increase in the rates will be below inflation again this year. We haven't made a final decision, but there won't be a serious increase in either commercial rates or domestic environmental charges."
A 3 per cent cut in payroll costs would be equivalent to sacking 200 council staff. However Mr Tierney said he intended to apply a range of measures to reduce payroll costs. "The cuts will be across the organisation and will involve not filling vacancies, cuts in overtime . . . a mix of measures."
The council has been told it must halve the €5 million it spends annually on consultants advising on "non-capital" projects. These include the cost of human resources consultants and consultants for any other projects not associated with delivering infrastructure. Mr Tierney said he would endeavour to ensure this did not affect any services.
"The 50 per cent cut will have a bearing on how we do things, because we only use consultants very deliberately in terms of adding to existing expertise, but we will be endeavouring to make sure that this doesn't impact on services."
The council's determination to maintain services and infrastructure must be matched by the Government in its investment in the city, particularly in relation to the delivery of public transport, he said. "Investment in public transport is imperative, particularly Metro North which is absolutely vital for the future of the city."
Mr Tierney was speaking ahead of the opening of a new €25 million council leisure centre, which includes a 25-metre pool, in Ballyfermot. The centre, which also includes a gym, sports halls and floodlit pitches, will be opened to the public next month.
A new youth centre, called Base, will be located in the grounds of the leisure centre and will provide, educational health and social services to local children and young people.
