asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that the recent allocation of moneys under the Local Authorities (Works) Act, 1949, has been retained by some county councils for the repair of bridges instead of spending them in areas where unemployment is acute, and, if so, if he will state the reasons therefor.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Authorities (Works) Act.
The selection of particular works out of a series of schemes previously approved by the Minister for execution under any moneys that may be available for works under the Local Authorities (Works) Act is a matter for each local authority concerned in the first instance, and they do not inform the Department why they select particular works in preference to others.
As regards the repair of bridges, I might mention that following the December floods and the damage to roads and bridges which was then occasioned, it was agreed that county councils should be allowed, if they so wished, to expend available grants on appropriate works on roads and bridges. This arrangement applied to the grants available for works under the Local Authorities (Works) Act.
Would the Minister say if it was the intention of his Department to allocate money under the Local Authorities (Works) Act for the repair of bridges? Repairs to those bridges cannot, of course, take place until the water goes down—quite a considerable time. In areas where drainage work had already been sanctioned, was it his intention that the money should be switched from these areas for the repairs of bridges?
That was not the original intention, but in the circumstances we thought some immediate remedial measures should be taken and the only funds available were allocations from the Local Authorities (Works) Act, and it was in order to enable essential repairs to be carried out that the switches were made.
Would the Minister say if grants under that particular fund were given only to areas in which bridge damage had been caused?