asked the Minister for the Environment the allocation he proposes for each county under the Local Improvements Scheme for 1986; and if he will take into account the number on the waiting list and need when making allocations.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Improvements Scheme.
7.
The Local Improvements Scheme relates to farm road projects eligible for EC aid under the Western Package. The Western Package covers the western region of Ireland designated as less favoured under EC Regulation 75/272. In 1985, the area of the country designated as less favoured as extended under Regulation 85/350. Recently, the Department of Agriculture made a request to the EC Commission that the area assisted under the Western package be expanded to include these additional less favoured areas.
The 1986 Exchequer provision for the Local Improvements Scheme is £2.15 million. On 29 January 1986, allocations totalling £2.06 million were notified to local authorities. A breakdown of these allocations is being circulated in the Official Report.
Allocations to local authorities under the scheme are generally decided on the basis of a broad assessment of needs and the extent of dependence on the scheme over the years. I do not propose to change this system.
Local Improvements Scheme.
|
County |
Allocation 1986£'000 |
|
Cavan |
228 |
|
Clare |
86 |
|
Cork |
130 |
|
Donegal |
275 |
|
Galway |
210 |
|
Kerry |
281 |
|
Leitrim |
256 |
|
Limerick |
15 |
|
Longford |
50 |
|
Mayo |
281 |
|
Monaghan |
113 |
|
Roscommon |
55 |
|
Sligo |
80 |
|
Total |
2,060 |
Will the Minister agree that this scheme is one of the most important in rural Ireland from the point of view of job maintenance and potential job creation? In view of the 240,000 people unemployed, one would think that the amounts allocated to this scheme would have been increased this year. However it is the same as last year, no increase.
The Western Package applies to the western region, and is basically funded by the EC. Other areas which benefited by the scheme in the old days maintained the scheme so that the full EC aid would be attracted to them. We endeavoured to get an expansion of EC allocations for other areas such as Meath, Offaly, Tipperary North and South, parts of Cork and Limerick. If those areas areas added to the 11 others, when funds are available from the EC, the Department will be required to match the amount. Naturally, this fund will be expanded if and when it is agreed at EC level for the additional areas in the other counties I have just mentioned.
Has the Minister in his brief information about the length of delays for the surfacing of laneways in various counties?
I do not have specific information about that, but the backlog of applications held by local authorities is not a satisfactory criterion on which to base the distribution of funds. It is a matter for each council to decide on the manner of recording applicants for grants and the system of distribution of grants allocated in their area. Some councils keep a register of applications in date order of receipt and deal with them in that order, others adopt varying procedures for example, in the selection of applications on an area basis by councillors, and some do not invite applications regularly. It is within the ambit of the local authorities not to over encourage the schemes when they know the limited amount of money available for them.
Is the Minister aware that there is a delay of between six and ten years in some areas with regard to the application of funds to these schemes? This being so, would the Minister consider adding to the amount available for the local improvement schemes now, seeing that, as he has stated, total funding is from the EC and prior to EC money becoming available a substantial fund was spent on these schemes?
Since January 1984 the LIS has been confined to projects eligible for EC aid. I have neither the plans nor the funds to expand that scheme.
While they are eligible for EC funding, surely that depends on the amount of the applications sent to the EC. If it is a £ for £ situation, as I understand it, surely if the Government were prepared to invest more in this scheme the equivalent amount would be available from EC sources. The Minister indicated that if extra counties were to be included, extra funds would be required. Surely the extra funds could be used in the 11 counties that are less favoured at the moment. There is need for extra investment in improvement work; it is creating jobs in a climate of 240,000 people unemployed, so surely it makes good economic sense rather than having people signing on the dole in rural areas to have them involved in LIS schemes, and that depends on the Government being prepared to allocate cash.
I assure the Deputy that any money we can secure from the EC is not constrained by the amount of money we are prepared to apply to any scheme in this area. The limitation is a result of what the EC decide are the schemes which they are prepared to fund. In this year their total funding amounts to £0.85 million. From the figures I have read out the Deputy will see that my Department are paying the lion's share of the amount of money spent in this area. Other areas benefiting from the LIS scheme some years ago have had this withdrawn from them and these areas which I mentioned are now the only areas which have the benefit of these schemes.
Question No. 8.
It sounds more like a lion cub than a lion's share, with £2 million in 11 counties.
Question No. 8.