asked the Minister for the Environment if he has any plans to help Donegal County Council in relation to repairs to roads damaged by frost on an unprecedented scale; if he is aware that the county engineer in County Donegal has stated that county road maintenance will have to be abandoned in 1985 because of lack of funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - County Donegal Road Grants.
516.
Mr. Coughlan
It is primarily a matter for Donegal County Council, as road authority, to plan and execute such remedial works as they consider necessary as a result of the recent spell of severe weather. The funds available to me for road grants in the current year have already been fully allocated and accordingly I am not now in a position to notify an additional grant for this purpose. The works may be financed from the local authority's own resources (including the rate support grants), block grant and, where appropriate, road maintenance grants already notified to them for 1985. The position will be kept under review during 1985 having regard to the actual cost of the remedial works, the council's overall road grant programme, and expenditure in other areas. I am not aware of the statement attributed to the Donegal county engineer.
Paragraph 3.8 of the recently published Road Plan "Policy and Planning Framework for Roads" points out that, in accordance with established practice, state grants will not be available for county road maintenance. Local authorities will continue to meet this expenditure from their own resources, including the rate support grants. The apportionment of these resources between the various works programmes of the local authority is a matter for determination by them.