Magnificent Connacht rekindle their Heineken Cup ambitions

Commercial rates will remain the same in the county next year but water charges are to rise by 7 per cent.

The county council passed its 2012 budget at a contentious meeting in County Buildings last evening.

Fine Gael Cllr Jimmy McClearn proposed 9 amendments to the draft budget, reducing expenditure on other areas, to prevent the council from having to raise the water charges by 15 per cent.

As a result, Graveyard maintenance, Traveller accommodation, and Arts and Recreation were some of the areas which had an average of 10 thousand euro shaved off their budgets.

The most contentious issue during the debate was the drop in funding for roads which is estimated at 34 point 6 million, over 2 million down on last year's allocation.