THE newly amalgamated Limerick Council will spend €173.2 million this year, according to a new interactive site dedicated to local authority finances.
Launched in advance of this Friday’s local election, the website provides a breakdown of every euro being spent by the 31 local councils this year. And, localauthorityfinances.com maintains that Limerick City and County Council will spend a whopping €173.2 million — around €903 per person in 2014.
According to the website, the biggest category of expenditure in Limerick is Environmental Services, on which €198.36 is spent per person or 22 per cent of total expenditure.
Out of the €903 spend, €16.60 goes on the administration of homeless services; €12.80 on members’ salaries and expenses; €83.07 on the supply of drinking water and €27 on public libraries.
According to economist and senior researcher with Public Policy.ie, Cormac O’Sullivan, anyone can access the results of this research to discover how their council spends its cash.