asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the present position regarding the application of Mr. Thomas Power, Curraheen, Villierstown, County Waterford, for a rural improvements scheme grant towards the repairs of an accommodation road at Curraheen.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rural Improvements Scheme.
This proposal has recently been inspected, and is at present under consideration. An offer of a grant will issue to the applicant in the near future.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state what decision has been come to on the application of a number of farmers from Kilmoylan, Kilmacthomas, County Waterford, for a rural improvements scheme grant for road improvement at Kilmoylan, and if a decision has not yet been made, when it is likely to be made.
In this case, negotiations are in progress with the Waterford County Council on the question of their taking over for future maintenance the main portion of the road in question, which connects two county roads. When these negotiations are completed, the applicants will be informed of the position.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state whether the application of Mr. Patrick Campbell, Ballymarket, Dungarvan, County Waterford, for a grant towards the construction of a bridge leading to his farm at Ballymarket has been received by the Special Employment Schemes Office, and whether the case has been investigated; and, if so, what decision has been come to.
This proposal has been recently inspected, and it is at present under consideration. An offer of a grant will issue to the applicant in the near future.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the present position regarding the application for a rural improvement scheme grant for the repair of a bridge at Knockgarran, Modeligo, County Waterford.
I am advised that in this case the cost of erecting a bridge for vehicular traffic would be out of proportion to its utility. The matter is in correspondence with the applicants to whom alternative proposals were submitted on 24th March for their consideration.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state, in respect of County Waterford for each of the years 1948 and 1949, the number of (1) applications made for grants under the rural improvements and minor employment schemes; (2) cases investigated, and (3) cases in which grants were made, indicating the names of the recipients and the amount granted in each case.
Owing to the limited number of unemployment assistance recipients in County Waterford, apart from one exceptional case, no minor employment schemes (i.e., schemes for which full-cost grants are sanctioned for the primary purpose of relieving unemployment) have been carried out in the county for some years past.
As regards rural improvements schemes, it will be more convenient if I give the information in respect of financial years rather than for calendar years. In 1948-49, there were 13 applications received, nine cases were inspected and ten grants were sanctioned. In 1949-50, there were 13 applications, 15 inspections and six grants.
I am averse to establishing a precedent by giving the names of the recipients of the grants and the amounts involved, for the reason that the Special Employment Schemes Office deals with some thousands of separate cases each year for the country as a whole, and the official time required to extract and present the information would be disproportionate to its public utility. If, however, the Deputy requires information about any particular case or cases, and if he will so inform me. I shall be glad to let him have it.
asked the Minister for Finance whether and, if so, when the new conditions under which rural improvement schemes will be administered will come into operation, and if he will state in what cases grants of 100 per cent., 95 per cent., 90 per cent. and less than 90 per cent. will be given.
The terms of the new scheme are at present under consideration, and I hope to announce them at an early date.