asked the Minister for the Environment the reason for the reduction in the allocation for water and sewerage services to Meath County Council from £642,000 in 1977 to £460,000 in 1978.
Written Answers. - Meath Water and Sewerage Services.
116.
The allocation made to a local authority in any one year for water and sewerage schemes is related to the amount which it requires to finance major schemes in progress, its small schemes programme and contributions to group water schemes, the main element being the major schemes programme. As Meath County Council succeeded in constructing many of its high priority water and sewerage schemes in the period 1975 to 1977 major expenditure arose on these schemes—schemes such as Mornington, Navan, Trim, Duleek and Oldcastle sewerage schemes, Navan, Mid-Meath and East Meath Stage 3 water supply schemes—particularly in 1976 and 1977. As the major expenditure on these schemes had been met before 1978 and as Ashbourne Sewerage Scheme was the only major scheme to get to construction in that year the council's requirements for 1978 showed a reduction on the two previous years.