The largest budget in the history of Galway County Council has been unanimously approved for 2025, allocating €194 million for services – with an increase of 12% partially funded by a hike in commercial rates and property tax.

The ruling pact – made up of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and a handful of Independents – voted through the budget with minor amendments to squeeze some savings to fund a greater discount for compliant rates payers.

Those with a rates bill of up to €50,000 will get a 10% discount, up from 6% as proposed by the Council’s finance department. Nine in ten rates payers in the county face an increase of €82 a year as a result of councillors agreeing to hike the rate.

The rates jump will bring in an estimated €2.4m annually to local authority coffers – that’s in addition to the €2.4m that will be collected from the 15% hike in the Local Property Tax (LPT) levied on homeowners as well as the €5m that will be apportioned to Co Galway in 2025 following a national review.

The rise in projected income will allow for €20.5m more to be spent across the divisions, including on Housing and Building (€32m, up €5.6m), Road Transport & Safety (€62m, up €3.6m), Development Management (€21m, up €4m), Environmental Services (€28m, up €2.8m) and Recreation and Amenity (€13m, up €2m).

Chief Executive Liam Conneally said the larger budget would help fund new houses and improvements to existing housing stock, which was a key focus for Galway County Council.

The €62m roads budget would also allow for more spending on maintenance and improvement of the national primary and secondary roads, public lighting and traffic management improvements.

Caption: Galway County Council Chief Executive Liam Conneally.

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