asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware of the financial crisis facing each local authority who are facing a 7 per cent reduction in real terms in the grant for relief of domestic rates and rates on agricultural land in 1985, as published in "Estimates for Public Services 1985"; and the steps which will be taken to maintain the level of services and employment in local authorities in 1985.
Written Answers. - Local Authority Grants.
610.
I would point out to the Deputy that, overall, grants to local authorities in 1985 will be up 9.6 per cent on the 1984 grants. I am confident that, provided local authorities play their part in increasing efficiency and make adequate use of the powers they have to raise funds from their own resources, this level of Exchequer funding will enable services and employment to be maintained at a reasonable level.
611.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will give details of expenditure of £2.1 million under subhead U, and the reason for the 79 per cent reduction in this subhead in the 1985 estimates.
As the reply to the first part of the question is in the form of a tabular statement, I propose to circulate it with the Official Report. Following is the statement:
Subhead U — Miscellaneous Services
|
1984 Provisional Outturn |
1985 Estimate |
|
|
£000 |
£000 |
|
|
U — MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES — |
||
|
1. Contributions to local authorities under sections 4 and 5 of the Acquisition of Land (Allotments) (Amendment) Act, 1934 (No. 7 of 1934), in respect of loss of rents arising out of the provision of allotments for unemployed persons |
1 |
1 |
|
2. Grants to regional planning and development groups and to local planning authorities |
80 |
85 |
|
3. Grant to Irish Water Safety Association |
57 |
60 |
|
4. Pollution Control |
22 |
25 |
|
5. Grant to Water Pollution Advisory Council |
23 |
17 |
|
6. Environmental Awareness Programme |
23 |
100 |
|
7. Contributions to International Organisations:— |
||
|
(i) United Nations Environment Fund |
18 |
18 |
|
(ii) Paris Commission in respect of the Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Land Based Sources |
5 |
5 |
|
(iii) Geneva Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution — Co-operative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long Range Transmission of Air Pollutants in Europe |
— |
4 |
|
8. Grants to local authorities for environmental and community works |
1,700 |
5 |
|
9. Grants to sanitary authorities for dangerous places |
5 |
15 |
|
10. Grants in respect of homes or shelters for stray or unwanted dogs or cats |
89 |
115 |
|
11. Payment to a local authority under section 5 (3) of the Local Government Act, 1933 (No. 5 of 1933), towards pension of a local officer |
1 |
1 |
|
Costs arising from petitions in connection with Ministerial Orders made under the Water Supplies Act, 1942 (No. 1 of 1942) |
86 |
— |
|
Total |
2,110 |
451 |
The reduction to which the Deputy refers is due to the fact that no provisions is being made in 1985 for the environment improvement works scheme. A provision of £1.6 million (recently increased to £1.7 million) for this scheme was included in subhead G of the 1984 Vote but as this subhead has been amalgamated with the Miscellaneous Services subhead in 1985, the expenditure in question is for comparison purposes included in the 1984 provisional outturn for the latter subhead.
In the context of the termination of the environment improvement works scheme it should be mentioned that local authorities will be the main sponsors of the new social employment scheme of the Department of Labour under which it is the objective that 10,000 part time workers will be employed, as announced in the national plan Building on Reality 1985-1987.