asked the Minister for the Environment when a grant will be allocated for the proposed Shankill bypass, County Dublin.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Shankill (Dublin) Bypass.
9.
I notified Dublin County Council in October 1978 of approval to their proposals for this project subject to certain amendments. I will favourably consider the allocation of a road grant when agreement is reached on the scheme.
Could the Minister perhaps indicate why the project which he has sanctioned is one which is considerably more expensive than the one for which Dublin County Council originally sought sanction and why he will not accept the original proposal from the county council which would be cheaper? It is very unlike the Minister to offer more money than people are asking.
The question relates to a different matter.
As far as I am aware the proposals now under consideration by my Department and the council would be more beneficial.
Is the Minister not aware that there is considerable local disagreement to that proposition?
I notified Dublin County Council in October 1978 of approval of their proposals for this project subject to certain amendments. I presume that is the proposal about which the Deputy is speaking, is it?
I would think that the amendment to which the Minister refers is so substantial as to amount to a counter-proposal to that advanced by Dublin County Council, and that that is in effect the situation with which we are now dealing.
If Dublin County Council agree to the amendment I will favourably consider the allocation of money, but we are awaiting agreement.
Is there not possible conflict between the engineering advice offered to the Minister's Department and that offered to the county council which rejected such advice?
That is a separate question. We could get into endless debate.
I do not wish to prolong Question Time or indeed to ex-asperate——
I am not worried about the delay——
The question of the extra grant relates to the fact that two alternative forms of advice are being taken.
Local representatives in the area have expressed their desire for one particular engineering option. It would appear that the Minister, by offering extra money for this grant, is taking another choice which does not have the democratic sanction of local representatives.
The question merely asks when a grant will be allocated. The Deputy should give notice of further questions.