asked the Minister for Local Government if he will consider increasing the County Mayo allocation of LIS grants.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - LIS Grants.
6.
The available provision for the local improvements scheme in 1976 has already been fully allocated. I am not, therefore, in a position to consider any increase in the allocation to any particular local authority.
Is the Minister aware that we have a very special problem in Mayo where we have estimates for £1,900,000 worth of work and £118,000 makes absolutely no impression on those works?
I am sure Deputy Gallagher will agree £118,000 is a sizeable sum of money. A few years back £1,000 was quite big and one could do a great deal with it and £118,000 is 118 times £1,000. Remember, £118,000 is the biggest amount given to any local authority.
Could I ask the Minister would he get a copy of the Parliamentary Secretary's speech and read it?
That is not relevant.
Perhaps the Deputy would send me on the portions worth reading.
Just one question, please.
The Deputy should not address the Chair in that tone of voice.
Would the Minister not agree that the allocation has not increased over the last four or five years while the cost of the schemes has doubled? The allocations at the moment are quite unrealistic in view of the increasing cost of materials, machinery and equipment.
May I ask the Minister whether, in view of the fact that LIS moneys are in place of moneys heretofore made available from the Board of Works for minor employment and rural improvement schemes, schemes that were directly related to the number of unemployed in the area, would he not use the present high unemployment rate, particularly in the west, as a very good reason for doubling the allocation or substantially increasing LIS grants?
One would think from these questions that there was a by-election somewhere.
No. That has nothing to do with it.
I have got no reply.
There is no more money to be given out this year and £34,000 is what Monaghan got and this is a sizeable sum. Some local authorities do a great deal of the work done under this themselves. They allocate money themselves for this type of work and do not ask the State for everything. Other local authorities will not spend a penny of their own money but will ask the State for every penny. I suggest these local authorities might consider doing some of the work themselves.