Vol. 418 No. 7
216 Mr. Cotter asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a special grant to Monaghan County Council under the local improvements scheme so that essential drainage work can be carried out in the Milltown area of County Monaghan in order to prevent further serious flooding in that area; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The grants already notified to local authorities, including £92,000 to Monaghan County Council, absorb the total of the funds available to me in the current year for the local improvements scheme. Accordingly, it is not now possible to provide an additional allocation under the scheme to any local authority.
Subject to compliance with general guidelines issued by my Department, the administration of the local improvement schemes, including the selection of eligible projects for funding, is entirely a matter for the local authority. In the case of drainage works, the guidelines provide that eligible projects should relate to minor streams forming the immediate outfalls for field drains.
