asked the Minister for the Environment the steps he intends to take to provide local authorities with money to maintain their county roads structure.

(Dublin South-East): The financing of works on county roads is the responsibility of the relevant road authority within its own resources including, in the case of improvement works, the general or block grant allocated annually by my Department.

On that point, is the Minister aware that our county road structure is completely disintegrating? No improvement works have been carried out by Roscommon County Council for the past three years and no tar spraying programme has been carried out on county roads for the last three years. Is the Minister going to allow our entire county road structure to revert to nature trails? Is that the policy of the Minister and his Department?

(Dublin South-East): No, it is not.

(Dublin South-East): This is merely an attempt to divert the question which the Deputy has asked into a different direction altogether. The Deputy has not succeeded in doing that and will not succeed.

The question is quite clear.

The Minister is speaking.

(Dublin South-East): I will confine myself to the question which the Deputy asks. The answer is no.

The question is quite clear. Again, there is no answer.

(Dublin South-East): I gave the answer, but the Deputy will not accept it.

There is no answer.

In view of the Minister's rather testy performance in the House ——

(Dublin South-East): I am well accustomed to that sort of remark from the Deputy.

We cannot have remarks of that kind.

The question relates to local authorities. Could the Minister say in view of the request by Dublin Corporation Finance Committee ——

This question relates to Roscommon County Council.

——if he would allow local authorities to engage in self-funding projects like lotteries, in view of the fact as he will not provide the money himself?

(Dublin South-East): I am well accustomed to compliments of that kind from Deputy Mitchell and also the old chestnut of the lotteries, which we have had for close on four or five years in Dublin Corporation. This is certainly not within the framework of the question, but I will be happy to take up the matter if a question is tabled.

The Minister could simply get the corporation to send a written reply. That is all.

Could the Minister confirm that Deputy Naughten's colleague, Deputy Bruton, in his budget of 26 January last left local authorities £12 million short in the rate grant and that the complaints of the Deputy arise from this shortfall in cash?

The present Government have had a budget since then and have done nothing about it.

The Deputy cannot avoid his responsibility.

Question No. 8.

(Dublin South-East): I approved the proposal of Dublin County Council to accept a tender for the civil engineering works for this scheme on 10 March 1982.

Deputies, please.

The problem arises out of the delay in transferring money.

Deputy Naughten, please.

(Dublin South-East): Arrangements for the execution of work under the contract are a matter for the local authority.

On a point of order——

I am allowing Question No. 9.

On a point of order.

Regarding the Minister's reply and how much it costs, I wish to verify that the former Minister for the Environment ——

That is not a point of order.

—— informed Meath County Council that the county roads there will be allowed to turn into dirt tracks. That was Deputy Barry.

(Dublin South-East): Aided and abetted by Deputy Bruton.

Question No. 9.

(Dublin South-East): I will repeat the answer to Question No. 8. The House could not hear it.