asked the Minister for Local Government the amount of money collected in motor taxation and the portion thereof expended on roads in each of the last three years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Motor Taxation.
11.
The figures available relate to the amounts collected in each financial period and are in the form of a tabular statement which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, will be circulated with the Official Report. Following is the statement:
|
Financial Period |
Amount of Motor Licence Duty (including Driving Licence Fees) collected |
Grants paid to Road Authorities |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
|
£ |
£ |
|
|
1973-74 |
23 512 236 |
19,324,470 |
|
1974(9 months) |
18,151,097 |
15,998,054 |
|
1975 |
26,657,881 |
20,357,067 |
Notes;
(a) The figures in column 2 do not include the amount collected in respect of fines and penalties under the motor tax and road traffic codes; payments by state departments to the road fund in respect of state-owned vehicles; driver testing fees and petrol pump fees, as these amounts are not collected through the local motor taxation accounts. The total amounts of these items were as follows:
|
£ |
|
|
1973-74 |
897,620 |
|
1974(9 months) |
839,532 |
|
1975 |
1,424,459 |
(b) In addition to the figures shown in column 3, substantial administrative expenses were also met from the Road Fund in each of the periods specified. These included items such as recoupment to licensing authorities of cost of motor tax collection; contribution from Road Fund towards Garda Síochána expenses in enforcement of motor tax and road traffic codes; grants to An Foras Forbartha and National Road Safety Association etc. The total amounts of these items were as follows:—
|
£ |
|
|
1973-74 |
2,539,655 |
|
1974(9 months) |
2,454,704 |
|
1975 |
3,545,475 |
Would the Minister agree that in view of the employment content in road works and because of the high rate of unemployment at present that a higher percentage of the money collected should be allocated for this type of work?
If it was it would mean that money for other very important works would have to be found elsewhere. That would mean extra taxation and I am sure the Deputy agrees that that is not desirable.
On a number of occasions the Minister told us of his concern in relation to maintaining employment and I should like to know if he agrees that in a situation where extra employment can be made available quickly and relatively easily a higher percentage of the total amount of money collected should be allocated to this work?
The arrangement I made, which gave a considerable amount of extra money by way of block grant, meant that a great deal more went into employment rather than in the use of materials and this will mean extra employment. Everyone must realise that it is not just the question of the cost of wages. There is also the question of material costs. If major works were being carried out it would mean a substantial amount of extra money would have to be found. I think my decision was sensible.
Would the Minister agree that good roads form a very important part of the necessary infrastructure for industrial development in rural Ireland? If he does, does he not think that in order to provide for the future in relation to both increasing employment and providing for industrial development it would be a worth-while move on his part to allocate more of the money which is collected to this work? The Minister will agree that a high proportion of the money is being retained for Exchequer purposes.
Not a very high proportion. There is no raid on the Road Fund, if that is what Deputy Faulkner is talking about. If the Deputy's suggestion were adopted it would simply mean there would be less money for housing and I do not think the Deputy would seriously suggest that. There is not an endless pit from which money can be produced.
Take it from the £14 million which was spent in Japan and spend it here instead.
The Deputy is suggesting that we should spend the £14 million on roads instead of ships.
I am concerned with the employment aspect. The Minister has posed the question of whether he would remove the money from housing. What I said previously, and repeat, is that the Government's priorities are wrong.
How would the Deputy pick the priorities? Is it wrong to spend money on housing? Of course the Deputy does not want to say that. He assumes the money should come from somewhere, and would he suggest where from?
Is the Minister suggesting that the £400,000 reduction in the allocation to my county indicates a fair share for that county?
If we allocated the money in accordance with how it is paid in we would be leaving most of it in Dublin.
The Minister did County Wicklow out of £250,000.