asked the Minister for Local Government what is the basis on which allocations are made from the Road Fund to the Waterford County Council; why was this allocation consistently reduced for the past six years; and what has been the basis on which allocations which are called tourist road grants were made to some counties.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Waterford County Council: Road Fund Allocations.
10.
Grants are allocated from the Road Fund to Waterford County Council on the same basis as that applying to the country generally which is as follows:—
(1) A main road upkeep grant of 40 per cent. of approved expenditure on the upkeep of main roads;
(2) a main road improvement grant which is allocated to each county council in proportion to its mileage of main roads;
(3) a county road improvement grant which is allocated to each county council in proportion to its mileage of county roads.
Six years ago, that is in 1955/56, the total of these grants was about £120,000. In each of the succeeding 4 years the total was about £122,000 and in the current year it is £130,800.
Other grants of a special nature allocated from the Road Fund to Waterford County Council in the past six years were—(1) a grant of £5,000 per annum for the improvement of tourist roads in the Gaeltacht and congested areas; (2) an extra grant of £12,500 in 1955/56 for the improvement of main and county roads. This was Waterford's share of a sum of £500,000 divided between county councils in proportion to their road mileages; (3) grants totalling £17,500 in 1955/56 for the reconstruction of Bonmahon and Annestown bridges; (4) a further grant of £8,000 in 1956/57 for Bonmahon bridge; and (5) a grant of £13,500 in 1958/59 for Kiladangan Bridge.
It is not correct to say that the total allocation from the Road Fund has been consistently reduced for the past six years; it has in fact varied up and down, due principally to the effect of special grants such as the grants for bridges.
As regards the tourist road grants they are allocated in pursuance of a scheme drawn up in 1953/54 for the improvement of roads in the Gaeltacht and congested areas. Eleven counties in all benefit from the scheme which has been maintained in its original form since it was inaugurated.
The Minister says it is not a fact that road grants were reduced in Waterford. Quite recently I got from the Minister a figure showing——
Chair. This is a speech.
——that the total grants given to Waterford in 1954 were £147,000. They have been reduced now to the neighbourhood of £120,000. Can the Minister explain the reason for that reduction? They have been consistently reduced, on the Minister's own figures, for the last six years.
Is the Deputy speaking of the 1954-55 figure?
Yes.
There is no reference to that figure in the original question, but I have the figures here: 1953-54 the total, including all sorts of special grants, bridge grants and others, was £142,328; 1954-55, £149,721; 1955-56, £155,421; 1956-57, £135,421; 1957-58, £127,420; 1958-59, £140,712; 1959-60, £127,421; 1960-61, £135,800. I take it that is the table to which the Deputy refers?
It is not.
If it is, the point is that, apart from the special provisions, particularly in relation to bridge grants which are not recurring, there does not appear to be an apparent downward trend over those years. In fact, while the grants in 1955-56, excluding special grants, were approximately £120,000, the present position is that, due to recent increases, the figure is now £130,800.
Are we to assume from the Minister's original reply that no tourist grants are given to any other part of the country except what he described as Gaeltacht and congested areas?
That is the general position.
So they are merely grants for these particular areas?
They are not really so much tied absolutely to the areas as they are to the service of the areas, and the roads leading to and from such areas may come into this as well.
I should like to ask the Minister what was the basis on which the tourist road grant for my constituency was reduced?
As far as I can ascertain, and I have no reason to dispute it, a computation was devised to give the figure which the county is now getting of £5,000 per annum in relation to the size of the Gaeltacht and/or congested area contained in county Waterford, as compared with the same types of areas in other counties along the western seaboard.
I should like to know how did it measure up against the Gaeltacht areas that must be in Cavan and in Sligo-Leitrim?
Obviously we cannot have a Waterford sitting.
Hear, hear.
I have being raising this matter for four years and I have got no satisfaction from any Minister. I would ask your permission, Sir, to raise this matter on the adjournment.
The Minister for Health's intervention was not very helpful.
I shall communicate with the Deputy.