asked the Minister for Finance if it is still the policy of his Department to insist that moneys now being granted to local authorities should be spent before March 31st next.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - GRANTS TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
The answer is in the affirmative.
Does the Minister think that it is a wise policy to insist on rushing tactics of this kind? Does he think that the inevitable result will be good for the Government or for the local authorities concerned?
I would be prepared to consider any representation in a special case with a view to seeing what could be done.
Is the Minister aware that a grant of £2,000 was made to the County Kildare, and that the County Surveyor has stated to the council that it is with the greatest difficulty it can be expended, that is expended economically within the limited period?
I am not aware of that.
I can assure the Minister that is a fact.
I do not know whether the Minister is aware—I am almost sure he is—that we in Kildare have been looking for money for the last nine or ten months, and we applied for some money out of that relief grant that was passed last July. We did not get any until December, and on last Saturday I received a telegram stating that there were two thousand pounds authorised, provided this money was expended before the 31st March. How is it that we could not get this money earlier, so that we would have time to expend it? When the 31st March comes, if there is any money unexpended, it is retained by the Treasury. What are we going to do? I think the Minister ought to reconsider our case.
Will the Minister consider making this grant available to public bodies earlier in the year, in order to avoid this rushing at the end of the financial year, because the money is not spent economically when there is a desire to get it spent before the end of the financial year?
I am aware of that.
Will the Minister make inquiries from the Minister for Local Government and Public Health as to the number of labourers likely to be thrown out of employment on the 31st March next if he insists that moneys granted to local authorities must be spent before that date?
The money is only voted by the Dáil for the present financial year. I do not know whether the Dáil will re-vote it or not.
Will the Minister give some assurance to local bodies that this is a technical disqualification, and that any question as to the validity of future expenditure will depend on the consent of the Dáil—that this is purely a matter of technical financial requirements that the money must be expended before the 31st March?
I would not like to go quite as far as the Deputy suggests.