Vol. 195 No. 10
asked the Minister for Finance the date on which he received a certificate for the completion of the work in a satisfactory manner on the repair to the worst sections of the bog road from the county road at Garrett Kavanagh's house north and west to the turf yard at Windsor, Coolrain, Mountrath, County Laois; and if he is satisfied that sufficient money was made available for this very important work.
4.
asked the Minister for Finance the date on which the work was completed on the constructions of the culvert over the drain at the end of the bog road and the repair of the road giving access to this culvert and the repairs to the remainder of the road from the county road south of Edward Campion's entrance gate to Ballagh bog, Lismurragha, Lisduff, Errill, County Laois; if he is satisfied that a satisfactory job was carried out; and if he will provide more money for further improvements on these works without delay.
5.
asked the Minister for Finance the date on which he received a certificate for the completion of the repair of the worst sections of the accommodation and bog road from the county road at Edward Chamber's house by George Sydes's house to the end of the existing road at Glenbower, Clonin, Mountrath, County Laois; and if he will cause further inspection to be carried out with a view to making more money available for this work.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 3, 4 and 5 together.
Particulars of these three roads were given to all Deputies for the constituency on 14th November, 1961.
The dates asked for are 4th January, 1962, 1st May, 1962, and 27th January, 1962, respectively. I am accepting the county engineer's certificates that these works, as described, have been completed satisfactorily.
Arising out of Question No. 3, has the Parliamentary Secretary any information at his disposal as to the amount of the money be provided that was spent, (a) on the provision of employment, that is, wages and labour, and (b) on road materials?
The total amount expended on this work was £55.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary say how much was spent on the roads?
I think it would be safe to break it down 50/50: 50 per cent. for wages and 50 per cent. for materials.
Arising out of the answer to Question No. 4, in which the Parliamentary Secretary states that a certificate of completion was received by him on 1st May, 1962, is he aware that the culvert over the drain at the end of the bog road has not yet been completed? It was not completed yesterday morning.
That may well be.
It should not be.
The position is that in these three cases, I got representations early in November of last year from the three other Deputies attached to my Party in the constituency, and from Deputy O'Higgins, who is attached to the Deputy's Party, dealing specifically with these cases. It was made clear to them that the culvert in question would be considered at some future date for the winter programme. I did not get any representations from the Deputy. The work has been done.
The Parliamentary Secretary is getting representations from me now. May I ask if he has received a certificate from the county engineer stating that this work has been satisfactorily completed? That is what the Parliamentary Secretary said.
So far as the scope of the Deputy's question goes, I have received certificates from the county engineer stating that the work has been carried out in a satisfactory manner.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary make inquiries from the county engineer as to when the culvert was completed? It was not completed yesterday.
I shall not make any inquiries. I have given instructions a long time ago. The work will be considered for execution in the next winter's programme.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary provide a more generous grant for the next scheme? Arising out of Question No. 5, may I ask him, as I have asked in the Question but to which he has made no reference, what steps he proposes to take in regard to this road at Glenbower, Clonin, Mountrath, Laois, with a view to having further inspections carried out and further grants made available for the next season's programme?
The Deputy did not ask that.
Yes, I did. May I read the Question: "... if he will cause further inspection to be carried out with a view to making more money available for this work"? Surely I could not convey it more clearly to the Parliamentary Secretary.
Is it usual in the counties of Laois and Offaly that when a £55 job is to be carried out, the Parliamentary Secretary gets representations from the five T.D.s in the constituency?
From four.
I am the only one who is raising it, where it should be raised.
Is it usual to get representations about the carrying out of such small works?
May I ask the Parliamentary Secretary to reply to my query at the end of Question No. 5 asking if he will cause a further inspection to be carried out on this road at Glenbower, and if he will make further money available in the next winter programme?
That has been done long ago.
When is it proposed to spend the money?
As I have informed the Deputy, an examination has been made, and in accordance with the usual system of allocations, if there are sufficient funds, that work will be done in the coming winter programme.
I have a guarantee from the Parliamentary Secretary that it will be done?
The Deputy has no guarantee.
That is what I want.
The matter has been explained in a satisfactory manner to the other four T.D.s and to all interested parties. My decision was conveyed to them last November and they are quite satisfied.
About what will be spent next winter?
They have been informed of what the exact position is.
Has it cost as much to answer all the questions as it has to do the work?
He will answer those questions while I am representing Laois-Offaly here. They are questions that are of vital importance to my constituency.
