asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he has intimated to county councils that, in order to qualify for relief grants during the coming financial year, it will be necessary for them to raise the requisite local contribution in ordinary revenue, and, if so, if he has considered that, owing to this policy being responsible for an increase of rates, it might result in a refusal by some councils to strike this rate, and thereby prevent the unemployed from having advantage of moneys voted by the Oireachtas for their benefit.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Relief Grants.
The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As to the second part, I am satisfied that local contributions towards the cost of employment schemes on roads should be raised in revenue in the year in which the schemes are to be carried out, and I do not anticipate that councils will refuse to make the necessary provision. The fact that the amounts are to be provided from revenue has been taken into consideration in fixing provisionally the amounts of the local contributions for 1937-38.
In the event of the local authority refusing to include this contribution in the revenue, what is going to happen the unemployed of the county?
The local councils will not get the grants.
And the unemployed will suffer.