asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state whether he has received a request from the County Councils of Leix and Offaly to receive a deputation of members of those councils, two county surveyors and the Deputies for the constituency with a view to placing before his Department the need for special consideration for Government grants to restore the roads in these counties to their pre-war state of repair, to secure permission for the withdrawal of sufficient men from turf production so as to keep the roads in a reasonable state of repair, and to place other very important matters relating to road administration before him; and if he will state the reasons why he refused to discuss these matters with the representatives of the ratepayers of Leix and Offaly.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Leix and Offaly Roads.
The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The grounds for not receiving a deputation were fully set out in a letter to the Offaly County Council on the 18th December last, a copy of which was sent at the time to the Laoighis County Council. As a member of the council the Deputy should be aware of its contents, as the letter came before the county council at their meeting on the 12th ultimo.
The County Council of Leix and Offaly have asked the Minister for permission to withdraw portion of their staff from turf production during the coming year in order that a skeleton staff might be placed on the roads so as to keep them from falling into a more deteriorated condition than they are at present. Can the Parliamentary Secretary say whether the Minister proposes to give permission to have a skeleton staff on road work during the coming year?
The question of carrying on road maintenance and of maintaining turf production is a general one. We have been in communication with county surveyors throughout the country in the first instance to maintain turf production and in the second instance to carry on road maintenance. No special consideration can be given to any county, but the individual circumstances of any particular county council will be taken into consideration.