Vol. 403 No. 2
20 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for the Environment if he will outline for each local authority, the allocations he has made in 1990 to enable them to carry out essential resurfacing of rural roads; the volume and percentage increase which he will be allocating to the same local authorities in 1991; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The 1990 road grant allocations to each local authority for non-national, regional and county roads are set out in my reply to Question No. 128 of 27 March 1990.
Pending the determination of the overall road grant provisions for 1991, I am not in a position to indicate the amount of the road grant allocations to individual local authorities for next year
Would the Minister not agree that it is ludicrous that local authorities have not been notified of their roads grant for this year at a time when quite a few local authorities have brought in their books of estimates and others are in the process of doing so? Would the Minister further agree that the funding available for county roads is grossly inadequate, that the basic structure of roads is being undermined and that colossal amounts of money will be required in years to come to repair the damage which is being allowed to occur?
I do not accept that. The money provided this year is being spent during 1990. The normal practice in local authorities is that, on receipt of their allocations, they have roads meetings early in the year and decide how they will spend the money throughout the year. There is nothing unusual in that. I must point out to the Deputy that in 1990 an exceptional amount of money was provided under the county road regional fund, amounting to £82.5 million in total, a huge advance on the previous year and earlier years. It is the highest single amount provided in this area for many years. The job is being done well and I am receiving reports from around the country that the county roads are improving dramatically. We hope to continue with that good work next year.
Would the Minister agree that by this time last year and the year before the road grants allocation had been notified to local authorities? Can he indicate by what date the grants will be notified? Can he confirm that due to the financial cutbacks to be implemented in his Department the road grants for 1991 are to be reduced and that the reason the figures have not been announced is that he is trying to avoid that matter being discussed at estimates meetings of local authorities?
It is grossly unfair of the Deputy to make that suggestion when he knows very well that the Book of Estimates has not yet been published. That kind of comment would be all right if it were to be borne out, but that it not so.
When will we have the information?
The sum of £82.5 million to which I referred is the amount for non-national roads in 1990. As soon as the Book of Estimates is published people will know how active the Minister has been on behalf of local authorities.
Has the Estimate for the Minister's Department been agreed?
The Minister has been told to cut back and he knows it.
If the Minister believes that the condition of county roads has improved in any significant way, he must not be travelling the roads of Ireland. With regard to the estimates meetings of local authorities, is he aware that local authorities are now proceeding on the basis that the allocation they will receive in 1991 will be maintained at the same level as in 1990. I take it, from what the Minister has said, they will not be disappointed. The other side of the coin is that, when estimates are being prepared, there are implications for other areas in local authority budgets for road grants which have rendered planning quite difficult this year. Is the Minister confirming that local authorities who proceeded on the basis that they will receive next year at least the same amount as this year will not be disappointed?
The Deputy is seeking a commitment from me which I cannot give the House in advance of the publication of the Book of Estimates. That would be irresponsible of me and I cannot do so, except to say that, over the past few years, we have increased very substantially the amount of money available under this subhead. The Deputy will remember that, a few years ago, I introduced a three-year programme involving expenditure of £150 million for county roads because of the disgraceful allocations made by the previous Coalition Government in that area for many years before that. In addition to that, as was announced in the budget earlier this year, there was an extra £15 million on top of which was granted the flood damage money which was fresh money as well. Therefore, the Deputy will see that a lot of money and resources have been put into this area. I think that was necessary; the roads infrastructure was not in a good state but it has been improving quite dramatically. I think I can see the Deputy smile in support of that contention.
Does the Minister propose allocating any extra grants to Galway County Council for the repair of the Connemara roads which are in a shocking state? Will he visit the area — as he promised people at the famous meeting outside Ashford Castle — to see for himself the shocking condition of the roads. The terrain in Connemara——
The Minister has visited there.
I am explaining that the terrain in Connemara leads to the rapid deterioration of roads there.
That is a separate question.
Will the Minister give us extra money for the repair of roads in Connemara as he promised the people at Ashford Castle?
That is a separate question, Deputy. You will have to put down a separate question on the matter.
As the Deputy well knows, it is one of my favourite spots to visit. I might add that I was quite generous last year with Galway County Council in so far as discretionary grants were concerned.
The Minister never came to visit them.
I have seen them on many occasions since but I cannot remember meeting the Deputy then.
I am calling Question No. 21.
