Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

The building in question is used for training, mostly for elderly people who want to learn about on-line technology. They want to learn simple applications such as how to send e-mails to members of their family who live abroad and access replies. When this course was discussed some time ago, certain people objected to it on the basis that the money might be better spent on public health nurses, carers or providing an ambulance in north Galway. However, it is useful that on-line facilities such as e-mail and computer training are available and obviously these will be useful following the inclusion in the Bill of the provision to which I refer.

I welcome the fact that the receipts for motor tax, including driver licence payments and trade plate licences, will go into the local government fund, which is ring-fenced for local authority purposes. Obviously that fund is used for discretionary grants for day-to-day expenditure and in respect of non-national roads. I could speak at length about the non-national roads. Galway is the second largest county and has many non-national roads, in respect of which we do need a great deal of funding. A considerable amount of road tax is collected in the county and this goes into the local government fund.

It is not the only fund concerned. There is Exchequer funding, funding from commercial rates and charges and fees for services. There are also specific Government grants available.