Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 28 Jun 1994

Vol. 444 No. 5

Written Answers. - Discretionary Grants.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

63 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment if he has satisfied himself that the recent allocation to Donegal County Council of £358,000 in discretionary funding for non-national roads has been allocated in a fair and equitable manner in view of the fact that while the County Manager recommended that the money be divided between the eight engineering areas of the county, the council on the casting vote of its chairman, decided to exclude the three areas of Dungloe, Ballyshannon and Killybegs, although these mainly rural areas have a high percentage of county road mileage; the action, if any, he intends to take in connection with the manner of the allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. M. Smith)

Donegal County Council's discretionary grants for the improvement and maintenance of regional and county roads in 1994 amount to £4.112 million, including the additional discretionary grant of £358,000 notified to the council on 12 May 1994. The council has wide discretion in spending these grants, subject to general guidelines issued by my Department. It is a matter for the council to select the individual roads on which maintenance and improvement works will be carried out and to determine the geographical distribution of road grants. My Department has, however, asked each county council to submit detailed returns indicating how the discretionary grants are spent in 1994 and I will be reviewing these before making road grant allocations for 1995.