asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if allocation of the £250,000 advance to the Guarantee Fund (Vote 72) (P. No. 1603) has been made to the various county councils, and, if so, on what basis such allocation was made and what conditions, if any, were laid down for the administration of this sum.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Allocation of Guarantee Fund.
As regards the first part of the question, I would refer the Deputy to the reply given to his question of 6th March.
The grant of £250,000 is in respect of local taxation grants absorbed in the Guarantee Fund to meet arrears of annuities between December, 1930, and June, 1933, that have since been funded under the Land Act, 1933. Where credit was taken by county councils in their estimates for that period for the receipt of such grants, their shares in the present grant must be devoted to the reduction of current overdrafts and the improvement of the financial position.
Am I to understand from the Minister that the allocation of this money is to be on the same basis as the previous £300,000?
Yes.
So that the case is different from what the Minister gave the House to understand two weeks ago?
No.
Is it possible that some county councils may not get any of the money?
I think two are so very much in arrears that they will not get any, but I have not gone into the final figures. Roscommon, I think, is not one of the two.