To ask the Minister for Local Government whether an application has been made by the Carlow County Council for a special grant to relieve the great unemployment which exists in the county; whether similar applications have been made by other County Councils, and if so, with what results.

Representations have been made by the Carlow County Council that a special Government Grant should be made available, and similar applications have been made by other County Councils. Excepting the Grant of £275,000 assigned in March, last the Government has not been in a position to make any other distribution of special Grants for unemployment.

May I take it then there is no sum allocated for this purpose?

Not beyond what has been already granted.

If I might intervene for a moment, in order to explain, a sum of £100,000 was voted by the Dáil to relieve distress mainly on the Western and Southern seaboards. It is possible that the Deputy may have concluded that Carlow should have got some of that, but that particular sum was earmarked for places where distress was likely to occasion famine. It was not for the relief of distress generally.