asked the Minister for Local Government his reasons for discontinuing the local improvements scheme.
50.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Improvements Scheme.
49.
asked the Minister for Local Government the total savings in the current year arising from the discontinuance of the local improvements scheme.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 50 together.
The local improvements scheme has not been discontinued.
Would the Minister agree that, because of the instructions he gave to county councils, there has been a severe curtailment of these schemes?
No. I think there may have been a technical error in the instructions.
Would the Minister clarify the position now because grave discontent has been caused? The instructions he gave the county councils would indicate a curtailment, if not the complete abandonment, of these schemes. Would the Minister now give revised instructions to local authorities to clarify the position?
The county councils will be very glad to know that and I am sure there will be great joy in the hearts of the people to whom the Deputy has referred to know that there will be £1 million this year.
Will the Minister say why he issued those instructions?
It is one of those things.
The Minister issued instructions that only jobs where the subvention has been paid to the local authority will be done in 1976. Is the Minister aware that in some counties such as mine the amount of money will be only half what was spent on rural improvement schemes? Further, does he know that it is only under these schemes that work on bog roads can be carried out at the moment, even though there is much talk about the scarcity of fuel and oil?
I am sure the Deputy is delighted with the correct figure which I have given here today.
We had a different figure.
It was £1 million four years ago.
Mr. Kitt
Has the Minister given different instructions to different local authorities? Why is there such confusion in the minds of councillors and Deputies?
Some local authorities were informed of a circular that was sent out. A circular has now been sent out correcting that.
Mr. Kitt
When was that done?
I did not check the post this morning but I imagine it has gone out.
This circular was read at the Galway County Council meeting by the county manager——
Would the Minister not agree that it was sharp practice to send it out and that councillors have spent a considerable time discussing some matter which he now says is only a myth?
We cannot debate this matter now.
The extraordinary thing about some Deputies is that they were delighted to come in today because they thought they were on to something. They found they were wrong and they are venting their wrath on me. The position is that a number of local authorities went through schemes and there are not so many of them who will be able to do much more than what the first circular stated. Deputy Callanan has just said this. No new additional schemes will be taken off the original lists the county councils have. A sum of £1 million is available and it will do a lot of work.
(Interruptions.)
I have allowed a lot of latitude on this question. I am calling the next business. The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.