Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Ó Cuív has raised a valid point. I have already asked my officials to investigate it. Some local authorities are charging a 12.5% fee for each square metre. In some local authorities, the figure can be €13 per square metre and it can be €14 in others. In my local authority the charge is €20 per square metre. The explanation given at the council meeting was that it was for administration costs. I need to look at that and I have asked my officials to look at it immediately. I do not want to see this happening with the funding. What I will do, and I really mean this, if I have time is look at other agencies in respect of delivering the local improvement scheme. It is not a big job for others to make an application or for householders to get quotes from private contractors and do the jobs themselves. I have seen this happening in other local authorities and I will certainly look at it.

I am keen to put on record that since last September our new Department has put €27 million into the local improvement scheme. A total of 1,100 roads will be done when this funding is spent. It is a good record. I have put it to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport on numerous occasions that if that Department matched my €27.5 million we would have 2,000 roads done. I am doing my part under the local improvement scheme and I will continue to do it.

Two Deputies made a point in this regard. What people forget is that people make a 15% contribution in some cases and a contribution of 10% in other cases. They make a contribution towards their roads. That is the issue raised by the Deputy. Along with the councils taking the administration fee, the councils are also getting 10% from the consumer. I need to look at this scheme, exactly as the Deputy has said, to determine what each council is getting and the cost per square metre.