asked the Minister for Finance the amount deducted or charged by local authorities for contracting to carry out rural improvement and minor relief schemes on his behalf; and if he will outline the procedure for the administration and allocation of moneys for such schemes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Authority Rural Improvement Works.
6.
Local authorities do not carry out rural improvements schemes or minor employment schemes on behalf of the Special Employment Schemes Office, but in some counties the county engineers, in their personal capacity, act as agent inspectors for the carrying out of these schemes, and also bog development schemes. To cover the value of the technical and clerical services rendered, the county engineers concerned are paid fees on a sliding scale ranging from 6 per cent to 4? per cent of the actual annual expenditure on the schemes.
Applications for rural improvements scheme grants are considered individually as they are received. When the report and estimate have been furnished by the inspector, and assuming the scheme is suitable, an offer of a grant is issued to the applicants' representative, conditional on the payment of the appropriate local contribution. When this has been paid authority is issued to proceed with the approved scheme.
The funds provided each year for minor employment schemes are allocated to the electoral divisions having each a specified minimum number of unemployment assistance recipients, and in proportion to the numbers of such persons. Schemes to absorb the allocations for the separate electoral divisions are selected from the pool of suitable proposals awaiting attention, preference being given to the works having the greatest utility in relation to their cost.