asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware of the delay in the payment of supplementary grants by Donegal County Council; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure that persons who have been allocated grants will be paid without further delay.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Donegal Housing Grants.
31.
Donegal County Council have been notified of a capital allocation of £115,000 for supplementary grants in the current financial year and have been asked whether they wish to make any adjustment between this allocation and the allocation notified for house purchase loans. In the meantime the approval of the Minister for Finance has been obtained to the issue from the Local Loans Fund of an interim loan of £40,000 which may now be drawn on by the council to meet payments which have matured.
Will the Minister give me an assurance that grants which should have been paid in September will in fact be paid?
I hesitate to comment on the assertion that grants which should have been paid in September have not yet been paid.
I can tell you that. I am not in the habit of telling lies. I have not picked up the Minister's bad habits. That four-letter word is associated with the Minister's name nowadays.
The Deputy should be aware that I am capable of being aware of what is going on in my own constituency as well as he is and I am not aware of any grants being outstanding from the county council for payment since last September.
I can assure the Minister that supplementary grants have not been paid since the month of October.