Vol. 412 No. 1
108 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment the reason that moneys promised to Kildare County Council and other local authorities in the winter 1990-91 was never paid over to the authorities concerned; if he or his Department ever stated or intimated that any expenditure incurred by a local authority for snow clearance would be refunded; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The storm/flood damage grants which I announced earlier this year were allocated to 18 local authorities whose areas were considered to be the most affected by the severe weather in early January. The grants were made towards the cost of remedial works to roads, bridges and culverts only and have been paid in full. At no time was it intimated that the cost of snow clearance would be refunded to any local authority. Such costs may be met, in the case of national roads from national road maintenance grants, and in the case of other roads, from the annual discretionary grant allocation. In 1991 the national road maintenance grant allocation to Kildare County Council amounts to £684,000 and their discretionary grant amounted to £1,868,000.
