asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware that part-time workers employed by Sligo County Council on the Owenmore drainage maintenance works and other projects are not being employed this year due to lack of finance and that those workers are mainly small farmers, who will lose their entitlement to unemployment benefit; if he will make money available to the local authority to keep those people in employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter, in view of the situation whereby many of these have been in part-time employment for many years.
Written Answers. - County Sligo Drainage Workers.
369.
Decisions as to the employment of part-time workers as referred to by the Deputy are made by individual local authorities having regard to all the relevant circumstances. Specific grants are not made available by my Department to the local authorities for drainage maintenance works. The funds available to my Department for grants to local authorities for works on roads, local improvement schemes, environmental improvement schemes etc. have been allocated in full. In the circumstances I regret that there are no funds at my disposal from which I could make additional allocations.