asked the Minister for Agriculture how much money was allocated in 1981-82 to each county council concerned under the western farm package infrastructural aid programme for improvement of farm access roads; how much of this had been spent on main roads specified as carrying agricultural traffic in each case; and whether he will ensure that such moneys allocated for 1982-83 will be used for the primary purpose intended, e.g. the improvement of access roads to farms.
Written Answers. - Farm Access Roads.
763.
This aspect of the western package is a matter for the Minister for the Environment who has supplied the following information:
Under the terms of the Western Package (Regulation EEC 1820/80) aid is available for local roads (i.e. county roads) used mainly for agriculture and forestry as well as for farm roads. "Main" roads do not qualify.
In so far as local roads are concerned, the general road allocations to the county councils concerned for 1981 and 1982 included sums specifically to finance a programme of works on eligible county roads. Details of the sums involved are set out in Table 1.
In so far as farm roads are concerned, the local improvements scheme has been adapted to take account of EEC aid. Columns 1 and 2 of Table 2 give details of the allocations under the local improvements scheme to the county councils concerned for 1981 and 1982.
TABLE 1
Sums specifically set aside out of General Road Grant allocations for improvements to county roads used mainly for agriculture and forestry.
|
County Council |
1981 |
1982 |
|
Cavan |
147,000 |
167,900 |
|
Clare |
177,000 |
202,200 |
|
Cork |
102,000 |
116,500 |
|
Donegal |
296,000 |
338,100 |
|
Galway |
179,000 |
204,500 |
|
Kerry |
137,000 |
156,500 |
|
Leitrim |
111,000 |
126,800 |
|
Limerick |
23,000 |
26,200 |
|
Longford |
553,000 |
60,500 |
|
Mayo |
220,000 |
251,300 |
|
Monaghan |
97,000 |
110,800 |
|
Roscommon |
114,000 |
130,200 |
|
Sligo |
35,000 |
108,500 |
|
Total |
1,751,000 |
2,000,000 |
TABLE 2
Local Improvements Scheme
|
County Council |
Allocation 1981 |
Allocation 1982 |
Amount of 1982 allocations for farm roads |
|
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
|
|
Cavan |
260,000 |
317,000 |
298,000 |
|
Clare |
97,000 |
118,000 |
111,000 |
|
Cork |
192,000 |
234,000 |
132,500 |
|
Donegal |
313,000 |
382,000 |
359,000 |
|
Galway |
228,000 |
278,000 |
262,000 |
|
Kerry |
304,000 |
371,000 |
349,500 |
|
Leitrim |
276,000 |
337,000 |
317,000 |
|
Limerick |
30,000 |
40,000 |
17,500 |
|
Longford |
60,000 |
73,000 |
68,500 |
|
Mayo |
320,000 |
390,000 |
367,000 |
|
Monaghan |
100,000 |
122,000 |
115,000 |
|
Roscommon |
87,000 |
106,000 |
100,000 |
|
Sligo |
89,000 |
109,000 |
102,000 |
|
Total |
2,356,000 |
2,877,000 |
2,600,000 |
For 1981 councils were asked to give priority to farm road projects so as to attract maximum possible EEC aid. In the current year councils have been asked to devote specified minimum amounts from their allocations to farm road projects eligible for EEC aid. The sums involved are set out in column 3 of Table 2.
The measures outlined, which have the approval of the EEC authorities, are designed to ensure that the £15 million approximately in aid available for local and farm roads over a ten year period will be fully taken up.