Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)

Now that the road programme for that area has been abandoned, there will not even be a road to travel on because there is no money. Will the block support grant to local authorities be kept up to the level of inflation? If the Minister is genuine about local government, will the extra money raised by the new budgetary proposals be given to local authorities? He says he wants to improve local authority services and while that is a debate for another day, he will have a big job on his hands to improve them. Local authority services have deteriorated significantly. One cannot get anybody to answer telephones, return calls or reply to letters. When we call, we are told that programme managers are out and nobody knows when they will be back. The situation is impossible but we will have this debate on another day as there is not enough time now. I want to know, however, if the block grant to local authorities will be kept in line with inflation.

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