asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state the amount of agricultural grants, etc., withheld from the Donegal County Council for the current year and the reasons for withholding these grants.

A sum of £50,289 is unissued in respect of the share of Donegal County in the agricultural grant. I am sending to the Deputy a copy of a circular letter issued to the County Council on the 17th ultimo dealing with the matter.

Would the Minister consider, in the interests of local government throughout the country, the great hardship it is to county councils to have this money withheld from them, and would he consider the advisability of introducing legislation that will remove that burden?

I should be glad of anything that would facilitate the county councils in this matter. The alteration of legislation, however, does not lie with the Minister for Local Government and Public Health alone. The Minister for Finance would have something to say to it.

Perhaps the Minister would pass that on to his colleague the Minister for Finance. We must all recognise the tremendous hardship, particularly at the present time, it is to every county council to have these moneys withheld. Councils when looking for an extension of their bank balances find that bank managers are drawing longer faces than ever.