asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make special moneys available to pay for the road structure in North Roscommon.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers - Roscommon Roads.
4.
(Dublin South-East): Road grants totalling £2,333,200 were allocated to Roscommon County Council in the current year, an increase of almost 54 per cent over the 1980 allocation. This allocation includes a supplementary grant of £230,000 which was allocated on foot of the additional capital provision of £10 millions announced in the budget. Provision was made in the overall allocation for the needs of the entire county.
Is the Minister aware that, as a result of a decision taken by the previous Government to have a major power station constructed in that area, the majority of the roads adjacent to and surrounding the power station——
You are not allowed to make a speech.
On a point of clarification, is the Minister aware that Roscommon County Council have no moneys available for county road improvements because the moneys that the Minister specified are for certain projects, whether national primary, national secondary or regional roads. The fact is that the council have no money for county roads. Is the Minister prepared to make a special allocation available to the council towards the county roads in north Roscommon to service the major industry that is about to start there, the building of a briquette factory and the development of the crow coal that lies in that area?
(Dublin South-East): The answer is in the reply that I have read out. Does the Deputy mean a special grant for a particular project? I have given a detailed reply to the question.
The reply was in regard to the whole county, not the particular problem arising out of the major development that is going to take place in north Roscommon as a result of the building of the power station. The Minister failed to answer the question.
(Dublin South-East): If the Deputy tables a question to me I will give him the answer. I have answered the Deputy's question and he has asked me another one now.
I specified north Roscommon. What the Minister answered was in regard to the whole county. The Minister got up to answer a number of questions of mine yesterday but failed to answer any of them.
5.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make moneys available to Roscommon County Council to carry out improvement works on Barrymore and Glanduff railway crossings.
Dublin South-East): As the level crossings referred to are located on county roads, any contribution which the road authority might make towards the cost of improving these crossings would fall to be financed from the road authority's own resourcs, as supplemented by the general or block grant allocated annually by my Department.
It would appear that the Minister is totally out of touch ——
The Deputy must ask a question.
Is the Minister aware that the Roscommon local authority are unable to finance the improvement of those two level crossings, to which CIE are prepared to contribute 50 per cent? Is he also aware that at least four major accidents occurred at one of those crossings? Is he and his Department prepared to allow this state of affairs to continue and fail to honour their obligations by making money available to the local authority in view of the fact that the local authority do not have any money for road improvements and county roads? Is he prepared to make a special grant available?
(Dublin South-East): The Deputy implied I was not au fait with the Roscommon situation. I am now to give him the fullest information I can. Roscommon County Council wrote to the Department on 22 February 1982 requesting the allocation of a special grant of £30,000 to meet 50 per cent of the cost of installing warning bells and lights on two of the level crossings mentioned. The balance of the cost was to be met by CIE who would undertake the work. While a reply has not issued to that request, engineering advice is that the normal method of financing would apply, that is own resources and a block grant contribution by the road authority is appropriate.
The Department of Transport submitted draft orders providing for the automation of the level crossings. For this Departments's observations on 9 November 1979 and 21 February 1980 respectively, these orders are proposed to be made by the Minister for Transport under section 22 of the Transport (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1971, which requires consulation with the Minister for the Environment before the orders are made. When consulting with this Department the Department of Transport indicated that Roscommon County Council had also been consulted. This Department considered that, before giving observations on the draft orders, it would be desirable to see the comments of the county council, and the Department of Transport were informed accordingly. The views of the council have not yet been received in this Department. It has been confirmed by the Department of Transport that orders have not been made in these cases.
Section 23 of the Transport (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1981, provides that where an order has been made under section 22 of that Act, the relevant road authority shall recoup CIE 50 per cent of the cost incurred by the Department in providing and maintaining any works required by that order. It should be noted however that where CIE decide on their own initiative to improve a level crossing no cost would fall on the road authority.
The question of lights and bells at crossings is currently under consideration by a working group consisting of representatives of the Garda, the Department of Transport, CIE and this Department. It is understood from the engineering section that agreement to the general introduction of such crossings is not likely in the immediate future. In 1969 this Department indicated they had no objection in principle to the provision of lights and bells by CIE at seven locations, including Barrymore. It is unlikely therefore that this Department would object at this stage to the Barrymore installation but any further extension of these installations should await the outcome of the working groups consideration of these crossings. That is as thorough a reply as I can give.
(Cavan-Monaghan): I am sure Deputy Naughten is deeply grateful to the Minister for his reply, but does the Minister not agree that the history he read out seems to indicate that there is a situation at these crossings which could amount to a death trap? Since 1969 the Department of the Environment and the Department of Transport have been wrangling about this problem with Roscommon County council like a fool in the middle waiting for a reply. In the meantime nothing has been done to make the level crossing, which is over a public road and owned by a State body, CIE, less dangerous.
Deputy Fitzpatrick was Minister for Transport. Why did he not fix it?
No interruptions, please.
(Cavan-Monaghan): I was not Minister for Transport since 1979.
The Deputy said since 1969. He hung himself on his own hook.
(Cavan-Monaghan): I am surprised that Deputy Bellew, a Deputy from Dundalk, who should have a knowledge of railways——
(Interruptions).
Deputy Fitzpatrick——
I am surprised that a Deputy from Cavan-Monaghan——
Deputy Bellew and Deputy Fitzpatrick, please. Even I have lost the trend of Deputy Fitzpatrick's supplementaries. Ignore all interruptions and ask your supplementary.
On a point of order, I am entitled to be referred to as "Deputy", not as Deputy Bermingham has referred to me.
For a moment we will refer to you as "Deputy".
(Cavan-Monaghan): The Minister's reply to the supplementary would seem to indicate that there is a very unsatisfactory and dangerous state of affairs at this level crossing and it suggests this has been going on far too long because of discussions between his Department and CIE. Would he now take steps, as the Minister in charge of roads to see that this crossing is made safe and cut out the red tape?
(Dublin North-Central): We seem to be having speeches at Question Time. There are 800 questions on the Order Paper and I do not think the Opposition are serious ——
It is within the discretion of the Chair to allow supplementaries. I allow them where the Deputy must elicit further information. I presume Deputy Fitzpatrick is acting on behalf of Deputy Naughten in asking these supplementaries. Will the Minister now reply to Deputy Fitzpatrick's supplementaries and them we will move on to Question No. 6.
(Dublin South-East): The Deputy's question went in many directions but the answers were in my reply.
In view of the fact that Roscommon County Council, not CIE, requested that those two crossings be up-dated and that the local authority do not have any money as a result of the 1977 derating of private dwellings and the removal from the local authorities of the authority to strike a rate, will he make the money available to Roscommon County Council to carry out the improvements necessary on those crossings?
The Deputy asked those questions before.
I fully agree with the sentiments expressed by the Deputy on the other side of the House. This is a very serious problem. It is a simple matter to place bells and lights on railway crossings and this work should be carried out quickly and there should not be any further delay. A cyclist without a light or a bell on his bicycle is liable to be prosecuted. We have a national responsibility to ensure people's safety ——
I am calling Question No. 6.
(Cavan-Monaghan): It is on the record of the House——
(Dublin South-East): In reply to Deputy Naughten, for the third time, the information is contained in my reply to Deputy Andrews. I said that the Department would not in any way view the matter of placing bells or signals in any unfavourable light.
Could the Minister not give instructions to CIE?
The Minister has come into the House consistently reading out replies which give no information.
(Dublin South-East): That may be the Deputy's interpretation, but that is totally inaccurate.
Question No. 6.
6.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make special moneys available to grade and roll the roads in the Clonowen area of Roscommon which are flooded during the winter.
(Dublin South-East): Exchequer assistance for improvement works on county roads is given to county councils through the annual block grant system. The disposition of this grant and the priority given to works at any particular location is entirely within the discretion of Roscommon County Council.
A unique situation exists in this area of roads being flooded for almost six months of the year and numbers of families cut off from the nearest town. If they need a priest or a doctor, they only have access by means of boats. Numerous requests have been made by the county council and I am asking the Minister ——
The Deputy cannot make a speech under the guise of a supplementary question.
I am asking the Minister a supplementary question.
Supplementary questions must be short and to the point. The Deputy must have respect for the other Members of the Dáil who wish to ask questions.
In view of the tremendous hardship there, the many requests from Roscommon County Council to have special moneys allocated for this purpose and the commitment given by the Minister's party to provide funds for this, will he now say that he is prepared to make available a special grant, either by way of block grant to the county roads scheme or by increasing the grant for local improvements scheme, so that major improvement jobs can be carried out there?
The Minister's reply has been given already to that supplementary question. We will go on to Question No. 7.
I asked the Minister——
(Dublin South-East): I will answer the Deputy.
I asked if he would consider making a grant under the local improvements scheme.
(Dublin South-East): No is the answer to that question.