asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state the amounts raised from rates for road maintenance purposes in the counties of Leix and Offaly for the three years ending March 31st, 1931, 1930 and 1929, showing separately the figures for maintenance of (a) trunk roads, (b) main roads, (c) county roads, also the amount of the maintenance grant allocated for the years in question, and the amounts set aside for the repayment of loans, together with the trunk road mileage in the two counties concerned.

The following is the information required, compiled from particulars furnished by the County Secretaries:—

* Owing to unsatisfactory maintenance of Main Roads, the sum of £6,362 allocated could not be paid.

asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state what were the number of applications for old age pensions granted by the local pensions committees in the years 1927, 1928 and 1929; what were the numbers of appeals by pensions officers for the same periods; and what were the numbers of appeals upheld by the Minister for the same periods, and if he will state the number of cases appealed by the pensions officers in which the Minister ratified the amounts granted by the local pensions committees.

The first part of the question is a matter for the Minister for Finance. The numbers of appeals by pensions officers for the years 1927, 1928 and 1929 were 8,663, 10,330 and 9,500 respectively, while the numbers of those appeals upheld were 5,569, 6,137 and 6,514 respectively. The information asked for in the last part of the question is not available.