Vol. 203 No. 11
asked the Minister for Finance the number of schemes (1) under consideration and (2) at present being carried out under the Rural Improvements Scheme in the county constituency of Meath, their locations, and the average length of time which each scheme has been under consideration in his Department.
14.
asked the Minister for Finance whether he is aware that there is an abnormal delay in the approval of and carrying through of schemes under the Rural Improvements Scheme in the county constituency of Meath; that an assurance was given over six months ago that all schemes would be expedited, and that this assurance has not been fulfilled; and if, in the circumstances and in equity to the applicants, he will arrange to have this matter expedited forthwith.
I propose, subject to the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to reply to Questions Nos. 13 and 14 together.
There are six applications in the constituency area under consideration, of which five are awaiting inspection; and there are two schemes approved for execution. The details requested in regard to each proposal are in the form of a tabular statement which I propose, also subject to your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to circulate in the Official Report.
I am aware of and have referred on a number of occasions to the delay in dealing with Rural Improvements Scheme applications in a number of counties, including Meath, caused by a shortage of inspectors during recent years. Every effort has at all times been made, within the limits of the available resources, to expedite the inspection of outstanding applications. As far as practicable applications are dealt with in the order of date and arrangements have been made to assign an inspector to Meath in a few weeks' time when he has disposed of older cases in another county.
Following is the statement:
RURAL IMPROVEMENTS SCHEME.
County Constituency of Meath: Proposals under consideration or awaiting execution.
|
Application Number |
Townland |
Electoral Division |
Date Received |
Date Offer of Grant Issued |
Approximate period under Consideration |
Notes |
|
74 |
Shallon |
Julianstown |
23/2/59 |
30/11/59 |
9 Months |
Scheme approved for execution 6th April, 1962. |
|
385 |
Coole |
Kilmainham |
14/11/61 |
16/5/63 |
18 Months |
Scheme approved for execution 31st May, 1963. |
|
387 |
Ballymakane |
do. |
1/3/62 |
Not yet Issued |
15½ Months |
Inspected 18th June, 1963. |
|
389 |
Balreask |
Navan Rural |
29/5/62 |
do. |
13 Months |
Not yet inspected. |
|
157 |
Horistown |
Rathkenny |
2/10/62 |
do. |
8½ Months |
do. |
|
391 |
Clonabreaney |
Crossakeel |
6/10/62 |
do. |
8½ Months |
do. |
|
392 |
Kildalkey |
Kildalkey |
16/10/62 |
do. |
8 Months |
do. |
|
351 |
Bettystown |
Julianstown |
27/2/63 |
do. |
4 Months |
do. |
Can the Parliamentary Secretary say if, in fact, the inspector will be dealing with the 1961 applications?
Yes.
Not the 1962 ones?
He will be dealing with everything appropriate. If he can carry out an inspection of a recent application and if he is in the area, he will do that as well.
When the Parliamentary Secretary was speaking on his Estimate, he said that, because of the shortage of inspectors, the schemes were over 12 months in arrears.
I did not say that at all. What I said was that in the whole of Meath there are only nine cases awaiting inspection. Only one of those cases is over 12 months. One is over nine months, four are between six and nine months and three are less than six months. I said that when we got the new engineer mentioned earlier in my speech, we would have those dealt with, and we will.
I suggest the Parliamentary Secretary should have a look at his speech.
I am very pleased to know that during last week this long-outstanding case has been looked after.
