asked the Minister for Local Government whether he will provide a special allocation of moneys to western seaboard county councils to repair storm damage to roads, sea-walls, slipways, etc., which occurred last January.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Storm Damage Grants.
32.
While there are no funds at my disposal specifically assigned to this purpose, there are general allocations available to county councils, for example, the general (block) grant for main and county roads which can be used in appropriate cases.
Would the Minister agree that this unexpected drain on local authority funds is something which could eat into the normal programme of local authorities and that this work in most cases remains untouched? If funds are to be allocated, it will considerably diminish the amount available for continuing work on the programme.
As the Deputy is aware, local authorities have staffs which can carry out programmes laid down. If the money made available is spent on sea walls and slipways, obviously it cannot be spent on roads. However, I would imagine that most counties will find it possible to do most of the work with the amount of money available, which, incidentally, is very much greater than last year. Because national secondary road maintenance is now being allocated 100 per cent grant as against the previous 50 per cent—and I understand the councils made provision for it when they were striking the rate—Deputy Brennan will find that the money will be available.
Is the Minister telling me that the council are free to take the money from the primary roads grant and use it for storm damage?
I am saying that they can take the money which they voted and which is not now required.
Surely the Minister is aware that the various local authorities would require double the amount of money this year when one considers that the price of tar has gone up by 170 per cent?
The Deputy is broadening the scope of the question.
I am trying to demonstrate the futility of saying that a few million pounds extra will suffice to carry on the continuing programme. If this unprecedented——
The Deputy is embarking upon a statement.
If this bill, which is presented as a result of storm damage in January last, is going to be financed out of the normal programme available for works by local authorities, it will curtail the essential works which are barely keeping step with requirements.
Deputy Brennan must be only too well aware that the practice with his Government was that there was no increase or a very small increase given for road works from year to year; they were given the same amount and expected to carry on with it. This Government have increased very substantially last year and this year the amount of money being made available. I think Deputy Brennan will find that Donegal County Council will be quite happy with the amount of money which they have got.
The Minister is chancing his arm.
Fianna Fáil did not know what was happening when they were here, so they hardly know what is happening now.
Is the Minister aware that the figures which he gave me in a written reply recently indicate that the amount which we have received in Donegal from the Road Fund this year as a percentage of the amount we have contributed is lower than it has been for any previous year?
The Deputy is going into a different area.
The amount which Donegal have received this year is the biggest amount they have ever received and, in fact, it is very much more than they would have got if the Government had not changed.
As a percentage of the amount contributed, it was the lowest amount.
It has never been related to percentages for that.