By Cliona Connolly
Cliona@monaghanpost.com

MONAGHAN County Council has confirmed it will axe 20 temporary or contract based jobs by next year in line with cost-cutting measures directed by central government, it emerged this week.
County Manager Declan Nelson said the local authority was required to cut their payroll bill to 97 per cent of what it was last year or by 3 per cent.
While pay increases have been factored in, some six temporary staff have already been laid off with a further 14 to be made redundant before 2009.
A recruitment ban will come into effect and there will be no replacement staff hired for those on maternity leave or career breaks. Council workers overtime will be reviewed and no summer student schemes will operate next year.
Mr Nelson said local authorities had been advised to expect cut backs up to an estimated €400m in 2008 and €1 billion for 2009. “I imagine its worsened if anything,” Mr Nelson said.
In addition, all local authority loans have been capped at €200m and any current loan applications with the Department have been cancelled and must be re-submitted for approval. However, the Manager assured members that necessary projects will be facilitated.
Responding to fears for service cuts, Mr Nelson said: “We need to look at in-house savings and expenditure. Anything not 100 per cent necessary will be curtailed. We have a major meeting later this week to look at services in each department. We may have to prioritise work.”
Cllr Sean Conlon described the cutbacks as “savage” but necessary. Cllr Padraig McNally said these cuts would have severe consequences for those affected. “We haven’t had to take such drastic measures since the 1980s,” he added. “If you don’t have the money to run the show – there ain’t no show! That’s what the Manager is telling us,” Cllr Hughie McElvaney said.
Council officials are due to meet later this week to decide where further cutbacks can be made.