asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware that 16 years ago the county surveyor, Kerry, recommended that the Castlemaine-Inch-Annascaul road should be steamrolled; that work was commenced but only half of it was completed, that the road became so bad that Córas Iompair Eireann discontinued their bus service with the result that many people in this thickly populated area are over seven miles from the nearest bus or train service; that the travelling creamery have threatened to discontinue supplies owing to the bad condition of the road; and, if so, whether he will sanction a grant to have the road put in a proper state of repair at the earliest possible date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Condition of Kerry Road.
No proposal for the improvement of this road was included by the Kerry County Council in the current road works programme which they are carrying out by the aid of the Road Fund allocations notified to them in February last. These grants cannot be increased at this stage of the year. As regards next year's programme, it is proposed to continue the practice of allocating grants towards the total roads programme in each county, leaving it a matter primarily for the county council to decide on the extent and location of the works which they will include in that programme. I may add that a scheme for the improvement of a short section of this road has been approved for execution with the aid of a grant from the Employment and Emergency Schemes Vote.
Would the Minister indicate whether he will make up for the deficit in the grant, which a propagandist of the Fianna Fáil Party during the last election——
This has reference to two particular roads.