The local authority has committed €27.5 million to public realm operations
€81.8m planned spend for parks, sport and town centre improvements
SOUTH Dublin County Council has provided a breakdown of all unspent and uncommitted revenue funding within the parks, environment, community, sport and public realm budgets.
Councillor Dean Donnelly put the question to SDCC during October’s Council meeting to enquire about the Council’s expenditure this year.
Cllr Donnelly also requested SDCC to “indicate what proportion is expected to be spent or committed before year-end and what balance may be available for projects commencing in early 2027.”
In total, SDCC’s committed expenditure for parks, environment, community, sport and public realm in 2026 was listed as €81.8m, with an adopted estimate figure of €103.6m.
The highest rate of expenditure, as per the information supplied by SDCC, related to Public Realm Operations and Waste Management, with a committed expenditure figure of €27.5m, equating to 76 per cent of its adopted estimate of €36.3m.
Public Realm Admin expenditure currently sits at a total committed expenditure figure of €26m, representing 99 per cent of the adopted estimate of €26.2m.
These figures were shared at the end of September, with 75 per cent of the financial year complete.
SDCC clarified that “expenditure levels are high but remain broadly in line with expectations, taking account of seasonal factors and operational works that can only be undertaken at particular times of the year.
“Based on the information available, it is not anticipated that any material unspent or uncommitted balances will remain at year-end.”
In response to Cllr Donnelly’s enquiry relating to available finances for projects commencing early next year, the Council clarified that “expenditure in these service areas in 2027 will not be determined by any balances arising in 2026” and “funding and expenditure for 2027 will be governed by the budget adopted for that year.”
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
