asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he is aware that in the allocation of grants under the National Road Scheme to the various County Councils the amount per mile of national roadway granted to some counties exceeded by twice or three times the amount given to some other counties with less national road mileage, and, if so, whether this will be taken into account when future grants are being made, and whether consideration will be given to the question of making larger sums available to those counties which received a relatively small amount heretofore, and particularly to the North and South Ridings of Tipperary.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Allocation of Road Grants.
The question appears to be based on a misconception of the scope of the National Road Scheme, as the allocations were made without reference to county boundaries. though, of course, for purposes of accounts, etc., they were assigned to particular counties. The answer, therefore, to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The suggestions in the remaining parts cannot be acted upon, but as expenditure in maintaining roads is one of the factors taken into consideration when allocating grants, the reduced expenditure in maintenance of counties which have benefited considerably under the National Road Scheme will be reflected in future allocations.
Is not the Minister aware that other counties have got three times as much as Tipperary?
That is possible.
Is not this money given for making the national trunk roads? Louth gets £2,400 a mile, while Tipperary gets only £870 a mile.
The 1,600 miles of roads included in the National Road Scheme under the Roads Advisory Committee are based upon the requirements of the country as a whole, and are not based on giving a certain amount of money to each particular county, so that as far as the National Road Scheme is concerned, it is based on a scheme of 1,600 miles approved by the Roads Advisory Committee.
At so much per mile?
Not necessarily. In a particular stretch of road the money allotted for it depends upon the nature of the work required to be done there, and over large stretches of the 1,600 miles the amount of money spent per mile might vary very considerably owing to the nature of the road.
Is the Minister not aware that in portions of Tipperary through which this trunk road will run, there are large stretches of bog which require a much higher sum for mileage than has been granted?
Will the Minister say if he is now prepared to take steps to ensure that the County Council will not put the grants for these roads to the relief of the rates instead of using them for the making of roads?
I have been very busily engaged taking these steps recently.
You are doing what is perfectly right.