asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the allocation for road works schemes in County Cavan for this year represents a reduction of IR£714,215 on last year, or a percentage reduction of 21 per cent; if he will reconsider the matter with a view to increasing the allocation, in view of the deplorable state of county roads in County Cavan; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - County Cavan Roadworks Schemes.
34.
The 1987 allocation of £2.419 million notified to Cavan County Council represents an increase of 13 per cent on the amount of road grants paid to the council in 1986 and an increase of 15 per cent on the grant allocation originally notified to the council for 1986.
On 28 January, 1987 grants totalling £10 million were allocated to local authorities for county road strengthening on the basis of domestic water charges collected in each area. Cavan County Council's share of this £10 million was £105,000. Road grant allocations generally were subsequently withdrawn as part of a general review of financial provisions for 1987 made in the context of the budget of 31 March.
Because of my concern at the decline in the standard of county roads in recent years I increased the original provision for county road strengthening for 1987 by £5 million to £15 million. The provision of £15 million was allocated on the basis of the county road mileage in each county, which I consider to be a more appropriate basis for the allocation. On this basis, an allocation of £480,000 for county road strengthening was notified to Cavan County Council.