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Dáil Éireann debate -
Friday, 12 Dec 1924

Vol. 9 No. 26

DAIL IN COMMITTEE. - RAILWAYS (DIRECTORATE) BILL, 1924.—FOURTH STAGE.

I move: "That the Bill be received for final consideration."

I am sorry that I am obliged to make one or two further observations in regard to this Bill. First of all, I think that it is only right to point out that the Deputies who, for good reasons, from their own points of view, opposed the passing of the Bill, have neglected a very important fact, that under the Railways Act there is a tribunal, an Irish tribunal absolutely, which will be there for the purpose of checking any anti-Irish influences that are likely to be brought into the administration of the railways by the inclusion of this director. Therefore to that extent a good deal of the suspicion is unfounded. There is another thing which I hope Deputy Mulcahy will take steps to remedy as soon as he can, so far as his own views and vote will go; that is, that this agreement, obnoxious as it appears to him, can be cancelled as soon after the 1st of January of the coming year as he and the majority of Deputies will decide to place the fate and future of the Irish railways in the hands of the Free State Government, and free from any of these extraordinary influences which are likely to be brought into the administration by this bulldog director who has been so often referred to.

I want to say I believe, from my own experience, that the passing of this Bill will do more than anything that has yet been done to develop the tourist traffic of this country. If the Bill was turned down, from what I know of what is likely to happen, there would be a disagreement between the parties who can do a good deal for the tourist traffic, and it would be seriously interfered with; the traffic that might otherwise come into the Free State area would be diverted to the Northern area, where we would not be in a position to control it.

The gaff is blown.

I am speaking from practical experience, and I am sure that Deputy Johnson will realise that without co-operation internationally between the railways and shipping companies tourist development cannot be assisted and encouraged; that is a fact; let Deputy Johnson dispute it if he can. Deputy Johnson has made an extraordinary statement, that it is the function of the Irish railway companies to foster and develop trade internally. He is overlooking the fact that people have to travel outside their own country on business on some occasions, and for pleasure on others, and that we are not, up to the present at any rate, a self-supporting country. I have on one or two occasions, when travelling on the Continent during the last two years, read the type of article that was written in the Continental "Daily Mail" endeavouring to prove to anybody who would read it, and particularly to tourists, that this country was a very unsafe place to come to or to live in. I think that that type of propaganda should be counteracted wherever possible by the representatives of the Free State in France or Italy, and even in America. Judge Cohalan has recently referred to the benefits that are likely to accrue to this country by the development of the tourist traffic. I notice that Deputy Mulcahy smiles when I mention the name——

On a point of explanation, I smiled at this insistence on tourist traffic, tourist traffic, tourist traffic, as if none of us would have to work if we had a sufficient amount of tourist traffic.

Tourist traffic brought to this country in pre-war days a sum of money estimated at £6,000,000, and I think that Deputy Mulcahy and everybody else will agree that if there was a revival and, perhaps, an increase of that traffic it would be to the advantage of the State, and that the money that would be spent by tourists would be spent on food and other things which are produced by the farmers and distributed by other people, and consequently it would provide employment in the natural course of events. I made a statement on the Second Reading of the Bill for reasons that were then correct, but which I want to qualify to an extent, and in qualifying it I may say that it was made in agreement with two other representatives of the railway trade unions, who are more concerned in this matter than I am. I said: "It is correct to say that the conditions of service of the employees of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in Ireland, England and Scotland are the best enjoyed by any railway workers, whether in Ireland or England, at present."

I was aware when I made that statement that two matters were the subject of negotiation between the representatives of the staff in Ireland and the management in England, two matters that deeply concern a section of the staff. Negotiations were going on at the time, and in deference to the desire of the trade unions who were responsible for the negotiations I refrained from referring to them. One of the matters has been settled to the satisfaction of the staff concerned, and the other is still outstanding. To that extent I qualify the statement that I made, by expressing the hope that in the very near future the other matter which is still under negotiation will be settled to the satisfaction of the parties concerned. I think it is only fair that I should qualify that statement, which was made by agreement with those concerned in the matter for other reasons than I had in my mind, or were known to me when I made the statement. There was one other matter which I tried to get in by an amendment, the present position of the Dublin South Eastern staff——

That has nothing to do with the Bill. The Deputy would have got it in on his amendment if it had been relevant to the Bill. If it was not relevant to the Bill then it is not relevant to it now, any more than the tourist traffic is. It has nothing to do with the Bill at all.

It is a Railways (Directorate) Bill.

It is not a General Railways (Directorate) Bill. Let us be clear about that. It is "A Bill entitled An Act to confer the right to nominate a director of the Amalgamated Company to be constituted under the Railways Act, 1924, on the London Midland and Scottish Railway Company."

On a point of order, it has been argued, of course, that the real value of this Bill was that it was going to assist the tourist traffic. If that is an argument for the Bill, it is the only argument of any validity that has been put forward, and is it not in order to discuss it on the Report Stage?

Who argued that?

I did not hear that argument, but Deputies will agree that I have to look on this matter in a particular way. What I was contemplating was that if Deputy Davin's discussion was continued and we had a general discussion on the tourist traffic it would be very difficult to hold it within the scope of this Bill. I did not hear the argument advanced with regard to tourist traffic; perhaps I was not in the Chair at the time. How would we transact our business if a line like this, taken by a particular Deputy, were to be followed up by other Deputies, because the line taken up by one Deputy must be allowed to be followed by other Deputies, since all Deputies are free and equal?

Deputy Johnson is certainly incorrect when he says that the development of the tourist traffic is the only reason for the passing of this Bill.

The only valid argument put up.

It is one of many arguments put up, rather than the negative and obstructive arguments which have been put up by Deputy Johnson. But in deference to your desire and ruling, if what I was going to refer to does not come within the scope of the Bill, I hope that the Minister will be prepared to receive representations from the people of the Dublin and South Eastern and will do what he can to remedy the grievances of the parties whose interests I have in mind.

Question put and agreed to.

I move: "That the Bill do now pass."

Question put.
The Dáil divided: Tá, 29; Níl, 12.

  • Earnán de Blaghd.
  • Seoirse de Bhulbh.
  • Séamus de Búrca.
  • Michael Egan.
  • Patrick J. Egan.
  • Desmond Fitzgerald.
  • John Good.
  • John Hennigan.
  • Seosamh Mac 'a Bhrighde.
  • Patrick McGilligan.
  • Risteárd Mac Liam.
  • Seoirse Mac Niocaill.
  • Liam Mac Sioghaird.
  • Peadar O hAodha.
  • Ailfrid O Broin.
  • Seán O Bruadair.
  • Séamus N. O Dóláin.
  • Mícheál O Dubhghaill.
  • Peadar S. O Dubhghaill.
  • Eamon S. O Dúgáin.
  • Seán O Laidhín.
  • Aindríu O Láimhín.
  • Séamus O Leadáin.
  • Fionán O Loingsigh.
  • Pádraig O hOgáin (Gaillimh).
  • Andrew O'Shaughnessy.
  • Caoimhghín O hUigín.
  • Seán Príomhdhail.
  • Patrick W. Shaw.

Níl

  • Seán Buitléir.
  • Osmond Grattan Esmonde.
  • David Hall.
  • Connor Hogan.
  • Tomás Mac Eoin.
  • Pádraig Mac Fhlannchadha.
  • Tomás de Nógla.
  • Tomás O Conaill.
  • Pádraic O Máille.
  • Risteárd O Maolchatha.
  • Domhnall O Muirgheasa.
  • Tadhg T.O Murchadha.
Question declared carried.
Bill accordingly ordered to be sent to the Seanad.
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