€175m County Council budget for 2025

By Dan Walsh

Elected members of Wexford County Council have approved a budget of €175,427,695 for the coming year. It represents an increase of €11.1 million on this year, with “the increased expenditure budget largely supported by increased grant income in the areas of Housing”.

The council had already voted in favour of retaining the 15% adjustment to local property tax from 2025 to 2029. Head of Finance Lynda Lacey stated that this decision, although not unanimous, had provided an additional €1.9 million “to allow the continuation of support funding for the Economic and Community Development programme” and “additional funding for service delivery at local Municipal District level”.

There will be an increase of €500,000 to Municipal District allocations over the next five years, €100,000 per district, and an increase in discretionary funding for each member by an additional €7,000.

The 2025 budgetary plan for the districts is as follows; Gorey/Kilmuckridge €628,000, Wexford (€546,000), Enniscorthy (€495,000), New Ross (€470,000) and Rosslare (€380,000).

€40.4 million was set out for the year for all roads, transportation and safety works.

Cllr Jim Codd stated that with a rise in flash flooding and storms of increasing ferocity, roads are falling further and further into disrepair.

With a budget of €530,000 set out for festivals across the Municipal District for 2025, Council Chief Executive Eddie Taaffe said that a “full root and branch review” would be carried out to “find the best way forward”.

He said that the intention here was not to reduce investment in festivals, but established what kind of investment was required for certain festivals to continue and grow.

Set out among the priority projects for 2025 under this budget were the Market House in Gorey; John Street Building Regeneration in New Ross; further master planning for a 50-acre site for the new SETU campus; Esmonde Street in Gorey; Wexfordia Projects at the Irish National Heritage Park, Hook Lighthouse and New Ross tourism projects; Enniscorthy Town Centre and Tourism Project; delivery of a temporary car park in Courtown; Wexford town to Rosslare greenway; Enniscorthy Sports Hub and Curracloe Water Sports Activity Facility.

In terms of the economic infrastructure programme, work continues at Trinity Wharf, the advanced factory in New Ross, Enniscorthy Technology Park, a business hub in Kilmore, collaboration with Tara Film Studios and Rosslare Europort.