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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Dec 1956

Vol. 160 No. 14

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Arranmore Island Roads.

asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware of the deplorable condition of the county roads on Arranmore Island, County Donegal, and if he will allocate a substantial grant in order to put these roads into good condition.

Donegal County Council is the responsible authority for any works on the county roads on the island and the selection of works to be executed under any grants available is a matter for the county council in the first instance.

This year I have made available to Donegal County Council a sum of £226,000 in grants for county road improvement, £25,000 more than was allocated for this purpose last year and considerably more than was allocated in any previous year. I am aware that the county roads on Arranmore Island are in a deplorable condition and I am very disappointed that the county council, of which I understand the Deputy is a member, have not seen fit to make any allocation for their improvement out of the moneys which I have made available.

Would the Minister not agree that, since the E.S.V. grants this year have been cut by the Minister from £13,000 to £1,700, it would be very difficult for the local authorities to repair the roads on Arranmore and the Minister should not place the responsibility of repairing these roads on the shoulders of the county council without making money available to them to do so?

I have given Donegal County Council £25,000 more than they got last year for the improvement of public roads and out of that £25,000, not one penny has been made available to Arranmore Island. I think the islanders are entitled, not only to the patching of the roads that has been done in the past, but to have their county roads put into a proper state of repair and improved to carry the mechanised transport which is now on the island.

Is it not a fact that the schemes for the improvement of public roads have to be approved by the Minister before the money is given to any local authority?

Yes, but I can only approve of the schemes submitted by the county council; I cannot initiate schemes for the improvement of any particular road. They must be put to me and I can either reject or sanction, but I cannot initiate schemes for the improvement of any road.

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