KIllarney Budget

Mayor says rates rise will be put to good use

KILLARNEY Town Council has voted in favour of increasing refuse charges by •10 to a •150 standing charge and by one cent to 20 cent per kilo.
The annual estimates also provides for a 3.5 per cent increase in the commercial rates sector which will rise by one cent to 34 cent per kilo next year.
However the increase has been defended by Killarney Mayor Tom Doherty, who said the extra funds would be put to good use.
“Over the last five years increases have been between five and six per cent annually but I was conscious of the increased costs on business people in Killarney, in particular the extreme costs of insurance,” Tom Doherty told The Kingdom.
“It was very important for us to keep the rates increase down as low as possible,” he added.
According to Mayor Doherty, the funds raised by the 3.5 per cent increase will be ploughed directly back into promotion of the town.
“•50,000 will go to the marketing and tourism development of Killarney,
•20,000 to Killarney SummerFest, •20,000 to Christmas in Killarney,” he said.
“There will be no increase in car parking charges which is line with policy to attract more consumers to Killarney town,” he added.
•20,000 has also been allocated in the 2006 budget for the development of the Killarney.ie website.
“This is a very important step into the technological age in marketing Killarney, its town council and the services of the council,” Tom Doherty suggested.
“It will also provide a tool for the marketing sector and for information on the commercial and manufacturing units and sites available in the district,” he added.
The mayor also announced that the construction of 60 new local authority homes in Direen would start in mid 2006 and looked forward to Killarney Sports and Leisure complex.

The Kingdom newspaper