asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he is aware that £16,000 has been contributed from motor tax collections to the Road Fund by the Meath County Council; that of that sum a grant of only £8,525 has been made available for County Meath; whether in view of the unemployment prevalent in County Meath, and of the fact that the County Council is endeavouring to repay a loan of £25,000 raised last year for the relief of unemployment, he will reconsider his previous decision, and make available in grants the full amount of £16,000 contributed.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - MOTOR TAX CONTRIBUTIONS (CO. MEATH).
The facts are as stated in the question. It is not the practice to return to county councils or county borough councils the amounts they collect in motor taxation. The grant of £8,525 is a preliminary allocation.
The county council have been informed that the matter of a further grant would be considered later in conjunction with the scheme for road improvement referred to in the Budget speech of the Minister for Finance.
Is the Minister aware that the Meath County Council received last year £18,000 less than contributed and, in view of the fact that the Minister is only giving them about half of the amount they contributed, this year, will he undertake to reconsider the matter?
This grant is allocated on a different basis from that on which it was allocated last year. There will be another allocation made later.
Is the Minister aware that under the sanction of his Department the County Council raised a loan of £25,000 last year, that they have to pay off this year £10,000 out of the current rate, and will he, in these circumstances, reconsider the matter?
I do not see how that arises out of the question.
Will the Minister, in view of the unemployment that prevails throughout the country generally, speed up the allocation of further grants from the Road Fund? We in Kildare have received £6,625 and we have about 3,000 unemployed. How are we going to deal with them if the Minister does not come forward with some scheme to provide employment?