asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware of the massive expenditure of funds on snow clearance in County Wicklow made by Wicklow County Council, and if he is in a position to make funds available to make up the deficit thereby created by that council if it is not done will result in a serious curtailment in other services.
Written Answers. - County Wicklow Snow Clearance.
277.
It is recognised that abnormal expenditure has been incurred by some road authorities on snow clearance arising from severe weather conditions.
I have already notified grant increases for 1979, however, which total 27 per cent more than 1978, and which absorb the total of the moneys available to me for road works this year.
278.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make funds available to Wicklow County Council to purchase specialised machinery for snow clearance to replace the machinery presently available which proved inadequate during the recent heavy snowfalls.
The purchase of machinery by road authorities is financed by borrowing or from surplus revenue in their machinery expenses account. I have not received from Wicklow County Council a request for sanction to borrow funds to purchase a snow clearance machine.