asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware of the discrepancy in the road allowances payable in the various counties to members of county councils for use of their cars when attending meetings; and if he will fix a basic mileage rate, applicable to all counties, in like manner as the subsistence allowance is fixed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Councillors' Road Allowances.
In lieu of defraying the actual expenses of locomotion incurred by members in attending meetings a county council may decide to pay a fixed mileage rate. Some county councils have decided to adopt this course and where the rate has not exceeded 1/- per mile actual travelling distance, it has been sanctioned. The remaining county councils are, it is presumed, still defraying actual locomotion expenses. It is a matter for the county council to decide which method of defraying expenses they will adopt. Furthermore, should the council decide to pay a fixed rate, it is for it to determine what this will be. Although the rates fixed by the county council do not take effect until sanctioned by him, the Local Government Act, 1946, does not give the Minister power to fix mileage rates.