asked the Minister for the Environment whether he is aware that some county councils are not living up to the spirit of the western farm package in regard to the construction and improvement of farm roads and agricultural roads and that in many cases the objects of the scheme are being bypassed; and whether he will issue a clear directive to ensure that these moneys are spent on rural lanes and farm access roads.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Roads Expenditure.
19.
The programme of measures approved by the EEC authorities to absorb aid under the western package provides for the improvement of county roads used mainly for agriculture and forestry as well as "non-public" roads serving farms.
Local authorities certify that the funds being provided by my Department under the block grant in the case of eligible county roads, and under the Local Improvements Scheme for farm roads are utilised for the purposes for which they are intended.
I did specifically mention that the spirit of the package was not being observed in some counties and I think, while it would be true to say that every council can truthfully and legally indicate that they have spent the moneys within the broad parameters of the scheme, the fact is that the moneys are being spent on matters which while important are not really related directly to farmers and their problems of access roads and lanes and so on. Would the Minister look at this because it is well recognised that some councils are using the moneys for purposes that can only be very vaguely connected with the regulations but not in accordance with the spirit of the scheme.
I will certainly have regard to what the Deputy has said but, if I may, I would suggest that the most effective way of looking at this at one level is that the members of local authorities themselves can supervise and scrutinise what managers are doing in this respect.
While accepting that local authority members are the people who are very much on the spot to look after matters such as this, I am quite aware that in certain counties during the past year moneys were spent from this fund even before the elected representatives were made aware that they had got them.