(Cavan) asked the Minister for Local Government if his Department have handed over to Cavan County Council 90 applications under the rural improvement scheme which his Department did not attend to; if he is aware that Cavan County Council have received 40 further applications in anticipation of this scheme being operated by that council as from the 1st April next; and, if so, if he will increase substantially the grant of £14,000 allocated to Cavan County Council to operate the scheme for the year 1968-69.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Cavan Rural Improvements Schemes.
20.
Eighty-six outstanding applications have been transferred to Cavan County Council. I am not aware of the number of further applications received by the council. The amount to be provided for local improvement scheme grants in the coming year has not yet been decided. When it has, a proportionate allocation will be made for all counties, including Cavan.
(Cavan): May I take it there is no foundation for a statement made in Cavan County Council that the allocation for 1968-69 will be £14,000?
No. A provisional allocation on the basis of the total amount available last year has been notified. This is purely provisional. The total amount available is not known yet and therefore the actual allocations to be made next year are not known either.
(Cavan): Does the Minister agree the provisional allocation to Cavan mentioned was £14,000?
Yes; it would be the same as last year.
(Cavan): Does the Minister agree that in 1964-65, £24,000 was allocated to Cavan, in 1965-66, £30,000, in 1966-67, £24,000 and in the current year, £30,000, all in round figures? Does the Minister agree that if these figures are accurate, it is unreasonable to suggest a sum of £14,000 in respect of 1968-69 to cater for accumulated arrears of nearly 100 cases, and will he take steps to ensure that a figure much higher than £14,000, in keeping with the requirements of the county, is provided?
The total amount has not been decided yet.
(Cavan): Will the Minister bear in mind what I have said when he is deciding——
When the total amount is determined, the allocations will be made on a proportionate basis, bearing in mind the sums available in former years.
(Cavan): Will the Minister bear in mind that if a figure of anything like £14,000 is offered to County Cavan I propose to raise it again and will have a lot more to say about it?