asked the Minister for Local Government the amount allocated in respect of local improvement schemes to each local authority for the transitional financial period 1974.
35.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Improvement Schemes.
34.
asked the Minister for Local Government the amount allocated for local improvement schemes to each local authority for 1973-74; and the amount expended in each case at 31st March, 1974.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 35 together and as the reply is in the form of a tabular statement to circulate it with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
Local Improvements Scheme.
|
County Council |
Allocation 1973-74 |
Estimate of Grant Expenditure for year ended 31st March, 1974 |
Allocation Period 1st April to 31st December, 1974 |
|
(a) |
(b) |
||
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
|
Carlow |
5,000 |
5,000 |
3,750 |
|
Cavan |
95,500 |
95,500 |
70,500 |
|
Clare |
45,000 |
45,000 |
30,000 |
|
Cork |
77,000 |
71,000 |
57,750 |
|
Donegal |
110,000 |
100,086 |
82,500 |
|
Dublin |
5,000 |
3,140 |
3,750 |
|
Galway |
110,000 |
100,272 |
74,000 |
|
Kerry |
110,000 |
122,943 |
83,500 |
|
Kildare |
7,500 |
7,500 |
5,250 |
|
Kilkenny |
6,000 |
6,000 |
4,500 |
|
Laoighis |
22,500 |
22,500 |
11,250 |
|
Leitrim |
130,000 |
130,000 |
77,250 |
|
Limerick |
14,000 |
12,000 |
9,000 |
|
Longford |
30,000 |
30,000 |
18,000 |
|
Louth |
14,000 |
14,000 |
9,000 |
|
Mayo |
127,500 |
127,500 |
90,000 |
|
Meath |
5,000 |
5,084 |
3,750 |
|
Monaghan |
37,500 |
37,814 |
24,000 |
|
Offaly |
27,500 |
21,778 |
15,000 |
|
Roscommon |
33,000 |
27,148 |
21,000 |
|
Sligo |
35,000 |
35,000 |
22,500 |
|
Tipperary N. |
8,000 |
7,909 |
4,500 |
|
Tipperary S. |
5,000 |
4,900 |
3,750 |
|
Waterford |
12,000 |
10,668 |
7,500 |
|
Westmeath |
5,000 |
5,265 |
3,750 |
|
Wexford |
13,000 |
13,000 |
8,250 |
|
Wicklow |
10,000 |
10,000 |
6,000 |
NOTES: (a) Includes reallocation of expected savings.
(b) These are the amounts of grant expenditure at 31st March, 1974 as estimated by each County Council. The Returns of the Councils actual expenditure at that date are not yet available.
Can the Minister say whether the amount allocated for the year 1974, extended to the end of the year at 7th March, 1975, is greater or lesser in estimate than the amount allocated originally last year?
I would have to do a sum to get that and it would take a few minutes. The Deputy can assume that it is greater.
In my area it is about 10 per cent less. In view of the fact that money was left over because of the engineers' strike we asked the Minister to include it in this year's grant but we did not get it. In view of increased costs and the backlog, we will not do very much on this scheme and it is an excellent one.
Deputy Callanan is aware, of course, that the reason why there was a reduction was that they did not spend nearly what they got last year. It would not be a good idea to give more than they had got. The engineers' strike was not the main reason why this happened. It was only involved at a very late stage.
As a member of Galway County Council I know that we definitely have a big backlog.
The Deputy must ask a question.
I agree that there is a backlog but more than the amount required to deal with the backlog was given last year and it was not spent —not altogether because of the engineers' strike.
If the reason was not the engineers' strike could the Minister tell the House what the reason was?
I do not know.
Does the Minister care?
Of course I do.
If the Minister lived at the end of a boreen he would care.
Having been a member of a local authority who made the necessary provision to deal with people who lived at the end of boreens without waiting on the State I know more than Deputy Molloy about this. I lived at the end of a boreen and I know what I am talking about. Deputy Molloy did not.
There are no £100 valuations in Connemara. If the Minister compares Meath with Connemara that is an indication of the Government's thinking on the west.
Question No. 36.