The Midlands Gateway Chamber has welcomed the publication of the report of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group, noting that if implemented quickly, many of the recommendations could deliver much needed savings to local authorities.
President of the Midlands Gateway Chamber, Paul O’Reilly, said, “Restructuring the system of local government in Ireland provides a real opportunity to introduce new and more efficient ways of providing local services. Central to this is improving Ireland’s competitiveness, while minimising the negative impact on ratepayers.
“If implemented, the reforms outlined by the review group would result in savings of in the region of €511 million. Business has been the funder of ‘last resort’ for many local authorities. It follows therefore that a significant amount of the cost savings achieved must be passed back to businesses in the form of reduced rates and other charges.
“The savings outlined in the report have the potential to help reduce the burden on local government funding, of which business is one. We call on the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government to set about implementing as many of these recommendations as possible as a matter of urgency,” concluded Mr O’Reilly.
