asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state the occasions on which statutory authority was given to local authorities to spend an unlimited sum, with the assurance that a fixed proportion of the sum spent, whatever it might aggregate, would be reimbursed to them by grants from moneys to be voted subsequently by the Oireachtas.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Expenditure by Local Authorities.
There are a number of grants to local authorities voted annually by the Oireachtas, the amount of which is in each case determined by reference to the expenditure, whatever it might be, on the particular service for which the grant is made. As the question is very wide in its scope, I propose to deal in more detail with the point the Deputy raises when moving the Money Resolution on the Third Stage of the Rates on Agricultural Land (Relief) Bill, which appears to have given rise to the question.