asked the Minister for Finance if he will take immediate steps to make a grant available for the repair of the road leading to Cashel Electoral Division, Islandeady, County Mayo.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Repair of Mayo Road.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply in February last to his question on the same subject. The position has not since changed.
Do I take it that, in spite of representations from Deputies of many Parties, the Parliamentary Secretary still refuses to come to the rescue of these few families who are in a desperate plight? There is no need for me to go into detail because the Parliamentary Secretary must know the details from the Special Employments Scheme Office.
I have already informed the Deputy that, if these people want to have that road repaired, they must submit an application under the rural improvements scheme. There are many other schemes submitted in that area which are more desirable from the employment point of view than the scheme to which the Deputy refers.
Has it not been brought to the notice of the Parliamentary Secretary that these people are not in a position financially to contribute to a rural improvement scheme? Am I to take it that the Parliamentary Secretary refuses in this special case, in respect of which representations have very often been made, to grant a minor employment scheme, even though the granting of such a scheme might be outside a certain regulation which is in force in relation to special employment schemes?
I have no information to confirm the statement made by the Deputy that these people cannot afford to contribute some small proportion of the cost, and I have already informed him that there are in the area other schemes more desirable from the employment point of view than the scheme to which he refers.
So that these people must continue to wade through water for nine months of the year?