asked the Minister for Finance whether he has received a request for a representative to attend a meeting of the Cork County Council in order to establish a basis of co-operation between his Department, the Department of Local Government and the local authority in regard to the supplementing by the local authority of grants under the rural improvements scheme, and, if so, whether he has replied to the letter and whether a representative from his Department will attend the meeting.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rural Improvements Scheme Grants.
The Deputy may be referring to a letter, dated 18th February, 1956, from the Cork County Council requesting the attendance of an official of the Special Employment Schemes Office at a meeting on 16th March, 1956, of the council's special roads committee, to discuss the making of grants under the rural improvements scheme for the repair of roads through estates divided by the Land Commission, preliminary to such roads being taken over by the county council as public roads; or, he may be referring to an earlier letter, dated 21st January, 1955, relating to a proposal by the county council for the taking over of a particular road. In the latter case, the council were informed, on 31st January, 1955, of the circumstances under which grants are made under the rural improvements scheme and of the preliminary essential of having an application form completed by the benefiting landholders. No such application has since been received.
As regards the letter of the 18th February, 1956, the council were informed on 12th March, 1956, of the general conditions governing rural improvements scheme grants, and the request for the attendance of an official was declined, as it was considered that the information in the reply would be sufficient for the committee's purpose. Copies of these letters have been sent to the Deputy for his information.