asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if his urgent recommendations on behalf of the unemployed citizens of the Saorstát have yet been considered by the Executive Council, and, if so, whether he will state the result.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - UNEMPLOYMENT RECOMMENDATIONS.
(who answered): This question presumably arises out of the reply I gave to a question addressed to me by the Deputy on the 11th April. The Executive Council has recently reexamined the problem of unemployment. Among the measures adopted as remedies are the following:—
(1) The road scheme is being advanced in spite of the obstacles raised by certain local authorities.
(2) The Bill to facilitate reconstruction in Dublin is being pressed on. In Dublin, Cork, and elsewhere pressure is being put on owners who have received awards to commence building.
(3) Persons wishing to expedite work under the Housing Act are being facilitated.
(4) Drainage schemes not requiring extensive surveys are being revived, while arrangements are being made to bring the engineering details of larger schemes, such as the Barrow, up to date.
(5) The Land Commission is pressing on with the dividing up of estates under the Land Act, which will result in labour being engaged to prepare holdings for occupation.
(6) Changes have been made in the fiscal system which were announced in the Budget Statement, and are designed to promote employment.
(7) A Bill on the lines of the Trade Facilities Acts has been prepared, and will be introduced at an early date.
(8) Legislation on economic matters such as railways, the reorganisation of various branches of agriculture, patents, trade marks and designs, which should assist agriculture and industry, is being treated as urgent.
(9) A Bill to provide for an extension of unemployment benefit is at present under consideration.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce is following up every suggestion for stimulating private industry and trade, but does not itself control any funds for the provision of public works. The other Departments responsible for the measures I have mentioned are pressing them on as rapidly as the resources available to them allow, but the state of the public finances necessarily limits the possible expenditure on public works. A considerable sum allocated for the purpose of the road scheme remains unexpended owing to the obstacles raised by certain local authorities, but if not accepted for that purpose the money will be diverted into other channels for providing work.
Can the Minister say whether the Government is going to do anything itself to provide employment by the reconstruction of public buildings that have been destroyed?
Certain arrangements are being made with regard to reconstruction, but I am not in a position to state how far the plans are advanced.
Can the Minister state if the Government intends to take immediate steps to make people to whom awards were made, start rebuilding. Is he aware that people to whom awards were made over one-and-a-half years ago have not yet started to re build?
I am aware of that, and pressure is being put on these people.
Is it true or is it considered desirable that all the engineering work in connection with drainage schemes should be done by German engineers?
It is not true that all the work is being done by German engineers.
Can the Minister give an assurance that he will go on with the Barrow drainage scheme and give some employment in the counties affected, or is the matter going to be shelved again the same as it has been for the past hundred years.
I have already stated that arrangements are being made to bring the engineering details of the Barrow drainage scheme up to date.