asked the Minister for the Environment the present position regarding the application of Kerry County Council to raise a loan of £2,000,000 to enable them to carry out improvement works on the worst stretches of the worst county roads in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter indicating when he will be in a position to issue sanction.
Written Answers. - Kerry Road Maintenance Grants.
43.
On 7 March 1986 Kerry County Council applied to my Department for approval to the raising of a loan of £2 million for the purpose of financing maintenance works on country roads.
Loans raised by local authorities, in relation to roads, form part of the public capital programme and such loans are only approved in exceptional cases in respect of works of a capital nature such as the improvement of bridges and roads. Accordingly the local authority's application has been refused.