Request for increased GMA funding for community groups in Mayo
GMA funding - monies councillors allocate to local community organisations - should be increased to €2.5 million.
Described as the 'bread and butter' of many local voluntary organisations, there has been no increase in the funding since 2014.
Councillor Patsy O'Brien wants to see that changed in the next council budget, with a €400,000 raise to bring it up to €2.5 million. The breakdown would be €83,000 for each councillor to allocate in their areas.
The south Mayo representative tabled a motion on ther matter at the September meeting of the local authority.
They are getting more and more representations for funding every year, he said, and they need what they are getting and more.
For the monies they allocate, groups have to put up the same amount in match funding, so they were getting great value for what they allocated, he added.
The additional €400,000 sought wasn't a lot of money, Councillor Michael Burke commented, and it has a huge impact on smaller communities.
Director of finance Peter Duggan said the council's baseline funding has not increased significantly in the last 10 years, with no increase coming next year, and factoring in inflation over the last few years. These were all matters that have to be taken into account.
At the end of the day they have to produce a balanced budget and it will then be a matter for councillors if they want to change it to include it.
Councillor Richard Finn said they should be going back to government in relation to funding for councils. There's €11 billion a year being given out to NGOs in the country, and they then come along looking for a couple of dollars; councils starved of money and trying to balance the budget.
“We should be fighting to get extra money from central government,” he commented.
The monies being used to cut the council's defict should be reduced, Councillor Michael Loftus suggested, and directed into GMA and services instead.
* Funded under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme