I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 and 23 together.
I am so aware.
Responsibility for the maintenance and improvement of county roads in County Galway rests with Galway County Council. The overall road grant allocated by my Department to the council in 1984 at £4.19 million represented an increase of 26 per cent on the grant of £3.33 million paid to the council in 1982 and an increase of 352 per cent on the grant of £0.928 million paid to the council in 1977. The council may, at their discretion, apply the block grant to the improvement of county roads. The council's block grant this year amounts to £812,000 compared to £733,000 in 1982 and £400,000 in 1977. State road grants were never payable in respect of the maintenance of county roads.
The provision made by the council for financing road works from their own resources, including the rate support grant, amounts to £1.55 million in 1984 compared with £1.74 million in 1982 and £1.38 million in 1977. The council's provision for 1984 reflects the fact that the charges for services and the increases in the levels of rates in 1983 and in 1984 applicable to Galway County Council are less than the corresponding typical figures for other areas.
24.