DONEGAL COUNTY Council will employ 326 fewer people by the end of 2010 compared with June 2008 as a result of a cutbacks.
County manager, Michael McLoone, has confirmed that the number of people employed by the local authority at the end of 2010 will be 1,017, compared with 1,344 people who were employed in June 2008. This represents a 24 per cent reduction in staff numbers.
The council’s payroll costs this year are estimated at €66.5 million, representing 39.6 per cent of day-to-day expenditure.
Mr McLoone warned that considerable challenges lie ahead with income streams – such as planning fees and landfill charges – continuing to fall.
The number of planning applications processed by the local authority this year is unlikely to exceed 2,500 – compared with a record 9,353 in 2006.
Incentivised early retirement and career break schemes, and the non-renewal of temporary contracts have contributed to reducing staff numbers.