asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if it is the intention of the Government to introduce legislation making main roads a charge on the Exchequer.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Main Roads.
It is not intended to introduce legislation of the nature referred to in the question. Apparently the Deputy desires that the main roads should be maintained locally but that the cost should be a charge on the Exchequer. The cost of improving and maintaining main roads is largely borne already by State funds. I would remind the Deputy that up to the present emergency the Road Fund bore the cost of improvement of main roads and in addition contributed 40 per cent. of the cost of their maintenance. The 40 per cent. maintenance grant continues to be paid annually to road authorities, but owing to the fall in the income of the fund the grant for improvement works is temporarily suspended.
asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if, having regard to the importance of good roads to the tourist industry, and in view of the extremely high rates at present in force in County Kerry, he will take steps to have a special grant made available for the improvement of the main roads in that county.
When replying to the debate last week on the Estimates for my Department, I indicated that in consequence of the retirement of the county surveyor an outside engineer had been engaged to report on the roads in Kerry, and that when I had received from the county manager the engineer's report I would communicate with the county council. My Department has pointed out frequently to the council in recent years that the reduction in the sums provided for the maintenance of roads would seriously react on Kerry as a tourist centre, but these representations have been continuously disregarded. I may say now that the information which has reached me as to the present condition of the roads in the county indicates an extent of deterioration which could not be repaired by a special grant, but, as has so often been pointed out to the road authorities, will involve the raising in future years of funds to meet an expenditure much greater than would have been necessary if adequate provision had been made for the proper maintenance of the roads in the present and past few years, so as to prevent the deterioration that has already set in. Through the failure of the council to make this provision in the present and previous years, the 40 per cent. grant from the Road Fund in recoupment of expenditure on the maintenance of main roads has been lost to the county. I cannot indicate how this position will be dealt with until I have had an opportunity of considering the special report which the engineer is to submit to the manager, and of which I shall receive a copy in due course.
May I point out to the Minister that the rate of 18/1 in the £ in Kerry is the highest in Ireland, while the roads in Kerry are the worst in Ireland? Thousands of tons of turf are leaving Kerry over those roads and could the Minister do anything by way of special grant for their repair and maintenance?
I have nothing to add to the very full reply I have given to the Deputy except to point out that, after all, if turf is leaving Kerry it means that considerable sums of money are going into Kerry to pay for that turf.