asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state what is the amount of the grant being made available to Mayo County Council for the current year under the Local Authorities (Works) Act.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Grants to Mayo County Council.
An interim grant of £15,000 in respect of the year 1951-52 was notified to the Mayo County Council on 31st March last, and I understand that the greater part of that amount is still unexpended. A further interim grant allocation to all county councils will be notified at an early date. I have already indicated that I would consider favourably all applications for grants towards works under the Act within the conditions attaching to the funds voted for the purpose.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will make a special grant available to the Mayo County Council for the repair of the north coast road in the Erris area of North Mayo.
I would refer the Deputy to the reply given Deputy Ruttledge on the 12th instant.
As promised therein, I have conveyed the representations made as to the need for carrying out improvements on this road to the Mayo County Council.
Is the Minister aware that Córas Iompair Éireann had to withdraw its bus service from this road because of the fact that the road was in a deplorable condition? Is he further aware that this district, which the north coast road serves, is a Fíor-Gaeltacht area and does he not consider, therefore, that these people are entitled to special consideration? It is a migratory area and I would ask the Minister to give particular attention to that point.
I replied to a number of supplementary questions on this matter last week and I indicated clearly at the time that this is purely a question for the Mayo County Council. I also indicated that, while that body had spent some small sum of money on the improvement of this particular road last year, it was not included, for what reason I do not know, by the Mayo County Council in this year's scheme. While I have no objections to questions of this nature being asked here, I think it is a pity that matters which are the concern solely of the local body should not be raised there.