(Cavan-Monaghan) asked the Minister for the Environment the reason for the delay in allocating funds under the local improvements scheme in 1980, when this allocation will be made, and the proposed allocation to each county concerned.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Improvements Schemes.
14.
There has been no delay in allocating funds under the local improvements scheme for 1980. The allocation for each county which was notified to the local authorities on 10 March 1980 is in the form of a tabular statement which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
Local Improvement Scheme 1980
|
County |
Allocation £ |
|
Carlow |
14,000 |
|
Cavan |
196,000 |
|
Clare |
73,000 |
|
Cork |
144,000 |
|
Donegal |
235,000 |
|
Dublin |
3,000 |
|
Galway |
171,000 |
|
Kerry |
230,000 |
|
Kildare |
11,000 |
|
Kilkenny |
10,000 |
|
Laois |
27,000 |
|
Leitrim |
207,000 |
|
Limerick |
24,000 |
|
Longford |
51,000 |
|
Louth |
25,000 |
|
Mayo |
242,000 |
|
Meath |
8,000 |
|
Monaghan |
75,000 |
|
Offaly |
41,000 |
|
Roscommon |
65,000 |
|
Sligo |
67,000 |
|
Tipperary N.R. |
5,500 |
|
Tipperary S.R. |
5,500 |
|
Waterford |
19,000 |
|
Westmeath |
7,000 |
|
Wexford |
29,000 |
|
Wicklow |
15,000 |
|
2,000,000 |
Will the Minister give the total sum for 1980 in comparison with 1979.
That is a separate question.
The total sum for the current year is £2 million.
(Cavan-Monaghan): Does the Minister agree that an allocation of £2 million as against £2,750,000 for last year, represents a very big cut in real terms? It is a cut of £750,000 plus 20 per cent.
Fifty per cent, in fact.
It may appear a big cut but we must remember that the purpose for which these moneys are used is to repair private roads. Quite a number have been repaired since July 1977 and more and more money has been made available for the local improvements scheme since that time. Quite a lot of work has been carried out throughout the counties but some counties, such as Mayo, are in quite a bad way despite the fact that they have been getting the largest allocation for the last two years. The number of roads awaiting repairs has grown rapidly in two years. I would like to have more money available this year, or at least the same amount as last year, but in the present economic constraints I have allocated the money available as fairly as I can with regard to schemes that are approved and ready to go.
(Cavan-Monaghan): In case the Minister is giving the impression that this scheme is nearly up to date, would the Minister be surprised to know that in County Cavan there is a waiting time of five years? When a cutback is necessary does the Minister consider it necessary to hit at the poorest section of the community? These lanes cannot be repaired other than with a grant.
Surely the Deputy realises that since July 1977 this scheme was revived——
(Cavan-Monaghan): Not revived.
——and more money was made available. This scheme had been brought to a very low level maybe through lack of money at the time, but much has been done in the intervening years.
(Cavan-Monaghan): I put it to the Minister that in real terms there was as much money available when he came into power as there is now.
I do not agree.
Question No. 15.
The Minister mentioned Mayo as being in a bad state. In the light of that may I ask the Minister a question? The Minister may have given the impression that because of its bad state he has given special consideration to Mayo. How does the Minister reconcile that with the fact that this year he has cut back the allocation by 29 per cent which in real terms is a 49 per cent cutback on 1979, and that for a county which on his admission is in a bad state?
Whatever about percentages, Mayo has got far and away the highest allocation in the country.
A 49 per cent cutback in real terms.
Mayo got a far higher allocation than any other county. Mayo did remarkably well in the last three years and has done reasonably well again this year.
It is still in a bad state.
On the reports sent to me it appears that the number of roads in need of attention is growing rapidly each year even though Mayo is getting the highest allocation in the country.
There is a current cost of £1.6 million——
We will not have an argument.
With all the money going into these roads one would expect that the number in need of attention would not increase so rapidly. We must be making some impact on the number of roads anyway.