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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 25 Aug 1921

Vol. S No. 6

ESTIMATE FOR AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTRY DEPARTMENT

,¹ said his estimate was for £6,800. If war conditions developed he might have to ask for more in connection with food conservation and distribution if the Dáil approved of funds being made available for such purposes. The ordinary estimate was down to bed-rock. Details were as follows: Department was divided into two sections Land and Agriculture. On the Land side there were two Commissioners at a salary of £700 each; one occasional Commissioner who acted when required, one clerk at £330 and a typist at £3 per week, office rent £80 per year. The Registrar was in jail and was receiving two-thirds of his salary of £330 per annum. Local Registrars were paid according to the court held for which he put down £100 provisionally and he put down £500 provisionally for two organisers.

1. Art O'Connor was described as Substitute Minister for Agriculture on 23 August 1921. Robert Barton was Minister for Agriculture. In the new ministry appointed 26 August 1921 Art O'Connor became Minister for Agriculture.

With respect to agriculture, as the Deputies knew, the Dáil had not interfered with the enemy Department of Agriculture. There were many and long discussions on the matter last year and it was decided they would not interfere, allowing it to continue to do the agricultural work so long as it did not conflict with them, with the result that he had merely endeavoured to shape the policy of the co. committees of agriculture and to direct the work of the enemy Department from without rather than from within and he had been fairly successful. The estimate provided for a clerk £170, a typist £80, inspector £400, for possible agricultural development £1,000 to allow of an inspector to operate in connection with land development on the estates the Land Bank had made advances for. For Forestry he had put down £1,000. That was to enable the organisation of an Arbour Day and to have money available to get things going. In 1919 it was found possible to organise an Arbour Day for £90. Rent of office, etc., £150. These were all provisional and might not be required. Minister's allowance and expenses £250.

The total amount of his estimate was £6,800 which would he thought be sufficient under the present conditions of half-peace, half-war, but if war was forced upon them he thought the Dáil would have to make large sums available for the conservation and distribution of food. If they did not somebody would have to do it.

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