asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware that there are hundreds of small villages for which no public water supply is being planned for the foreseeable future; and, if so, whether he will draw the attention of county councils to Section 26 of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1948, which provides for contributions by local authorities to the cost of small private water supply projects, and whether he will assist county councils in this matter by providing grants in respect of such projects as are approved by him.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Grants for Water Supply.
A circular letter was issued in January, 1949, to county councils drawing their attention to the powers given to them by Section 26 of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1948, to assist in the provision of private water supplies, and urging them to make use of these powers. Portion of the funds provided annually under the Employment and Emergency Schemes Vote is made available by way of grants to sanitary authorities undertaking major schemes for the provision or improvement of piped water supplies, but there are no funds at present available out of which grants could be made to local authorities incurring expenditure under Section 26.