asked the President if the Government received an application dated 7th January, 1924, from the Dublin Port and Docks Board for a grant to relieve unemployment in the City of Dublin, and if he will say what was the result of the consideration of that application, and if the Board will receive a grant to carry on their reclamation scheme and the providing of deep water berthage, and if so on what conditions the grant will be made.
PRIVATE NOTICE QUESTION. - DUBLIN PORT AND DOCKS BOARD AND UNEMPLOYMENT GRANT.
I have been informed by the Finance Ministry that the application referred to has been received. Schemes to relieve unemployment in the City of Dublin, which will receive assistance from money which the Government are making available for the purpose of road reconstruction, &c., are being formulated. The awards in respect of compensation cases made up to the present in the Recorder's Court total over £300,000, of which £212,000 is in respect of buildings. It will therefore be observed that considerable provision for the relief of unemployment in the city has been made The separate proposals of the Port and Docks Board obviously fall into a category by themselves and must of necessity be open to examination in the light of the previous sums, which are exclusive of the grants made in respect of housing, which are considerable in amount.
Mr. BYRNE
May I ask the President whether that reply is a refusal of the request of the Port and Docks Board to carry on these reproductive schemes that they had in hands some years ago, and which are now held up? May I draw his attention to the fact that when employment was mentioned it was stated from the Government benches that grants would be made to relieve unemployment where reproductive works could be started. This is reproductive work, and will produce rates for the City of Dublin.
For the Port and Docks Board or for the City of Dublin? I think it is rates for the Port and Docks Board. We have not got to keep the work of the Port and Docks Board going. I stated that the separate proposals of the Port and Docks Board obviously fall into a category by themselves and are open to examination in the light of the other matters I have mentioned.
Mr. BYRNE
May I ask if the application will be considered?
Within the four corners of the answer I have given, the reply is in the affirmative.