I am not aware that Waterford County Council has any proposals involving job losses among outdoor staff arising from the discretionary grant allocation of £1,599,000 which I notified recently to the Council. While the provision is some 7 per cent less than the 1992 allocation, it still represents a substantial level of State assistance towards the maintenance and improvement of county and regional roads, particularly at a time when there is a continuing need for tight controls on public expenditure. I should also point to the increase of over 60 per cent in the allocation to Waterford County Council in 1993 for national roads, compared with grants paid last year. I understand that there is some scope for work to be carried out by the Council's direct labour unit within the total grant allocation of £7,161,000 for these roads.