Vol. 429 No. 1
46 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there is likely to be substantial job losses on the outdoor staff of Waterford County Council because of the reduced block grants for county roads; and if he has any plans to rectify this situation.
I am not aware that Waterford County Council has any proposals involving job losses among outdoor staff arising from the discretionary grant allocation of £1,599,000 which I notified recently to the Council. While the provision is some 7 per cent less than the 1992 allocation, it still represents a substantial level of State assistance towards the maintenance and improvement of county and regional roads, particularly at a time when there is a continuing need for tight controls on public expenditure. I should also point to the increase of over 60 per cent in the allocation to Waterford County Council in 1993 for national roads, compared with grants paid last year. I understand that there is some scope for work to be carried out by the Council's direct labour unit within the total grant allocation of £7,161,000 for these roads.
