Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 30 Jan 1991

Vol. 404 No. 4

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

308 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment if allocations for main and county roads will be made in 1991 having regard to the extra vehicular movement on roads in the eastern region such as in Counties Louth, Meath, Wicklow and Kildare; if rate support grants to these counties in the past ten years have reflected the increase in population and consequent increased number of housing units and extra demands likely to be generated by virtue of these counties geographical location in relation to Dublin; his view on whether an increased allocation for roads is desirable to enable these counties meet their ongoing requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Written Answers. - Rate Support Grants.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

317 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment if the amount of rate support grants for the current year is likely to accurately reflect the up-to-date valuation of all housing units in each local authority area; the local authorities where this is not likely to happen; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Flynn)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 308 and 317 together.

I presume that, in regard to road grants, the Deputy is referring to the discretionary grants to county councils which supplement the provisions made by these authorities from their own resources for works on regional, main, and county roads.

Because of my concern about the condition of regional and county roads, I have made substantial increases in the levels of discretionary grant funding for them since 1987. The 1990 discretionary road grant allocations notified for these roads to county councils amounted to £63.13 million, compared with £47.4 million in 1989 and £23.4 million in 1986. I am satisfied that the road grant contribution to overall expenditure on regional and county roads is reasonable. The extent to which local authority resources are used for road works is a matter for determination by the local authorities.

The rate support grant paid to local authorities replaces in part the income from rates formerly applicable to domestic dwellings and agricultural land. This income varies from local authority to local authority, because of differences in valuation levels and in rate poundages applied by councils over the years. These variations together with variations arising from other changes in local finances in recent years, including the abolition of certain levies and the termination of liability for certain local loans fund repayments, are reflected in differences in the rate support grant allocations for individual local authorities.