I gave notice to-day that I would raise, on the adjournment, the question of the contemplated closing down of portion of the Timoleague and Courtmacsherry Railway. In doing so I have to apologise to the Dáil for bringing on the matter at such a late hour, and I have also to apologise to the Minister for Industry and Commerce for bringing on this matter just now, having regard to the very arduous work he is getting through at present. My reason for doing so is that the matter is very important, and that the principle that underlies the action of the railway company is, I believe, and many others believe, going to affect many more people in the future. The Great Southern Railways have given instructions that two and three-fourth miles of the railway between Timoleague and Courtmacsherry is to be closed down from the 1st June.
Courtmacsherry is a village with 400 inhabitants, and it is one of the important seaside places that we have in Cork. The people of the village are entirely dependent for their livelihood on the number of tourists who come to the place during the summer time, and on the number of people who come there in the excursion trains that are run to that seaside resort in the summer. Practically every person in the village accomodates visitors during the summer time. In addition to that there is a matter of some importance in connection with the shipping of coal and maize from that town to the neighbouring towns. In addition, sand is sent from Courtmacsherry Harbour to a number of places in West Cork. That sand is used for agricultural purposes, and in that respect the loss will be very great to the farmers, because the only other source from which sand has been sent to the farmers along the Cork and Bandon line has been closed down, so that people who were getting sand for agricultural purposes will be put to much inconvenience owing to the closing down of this line. All the sand that was used for agricultural purposes along the Cork and Bandon line practically came from Courtmacsherry. I think the closing of this line will very seriously affect the people of that place.
Then there is another aspect. A number of persons will be unemployed, and a number of people, who are dependent for their livelihood and their employment on this railway, will now lose their employment, owing to the closing down of the line. The few railway employees who are at present working on that line will be thrown out of employment. The excuse given by the railway company—if it is a genuine one—is legitimate enough. That was that the line is in such a condition at the present time that it is necessary to close it down in order to carry out some repairs. But a very significant fact in connection with this excuse is that the permanent way men who would be employed at repairs to the line have also got notice of dismissal. The result is that the people have come to the conclusion that the excuse of the railway company in this matter is not honest. I submit that there is a good deal to be said for that view. Considering that the men who would naturally be employed on the repairing work that is to be done to the line have been notified that their services will not be required from the 1st June, it looks as if the excuse was not a genuine one. These men believe that the closing down of this line is part of the policy of the company to get rid of their obligations, and to evade these obligations that they entered into under the Railway Act. It is feared by many people that in other parts of the country where there are similar railways this policy also will be put in force in the future. Now, this railway is a baronially-guaranteed railway, and the position will be that, even though the line is closed down, the people who are paying the baronial guarantee will have to pay their share of the money guaranteed for that undertaking. It will be an extraordinary thing if the people have to pay for the next ten years the interest on the baronially-guaranteed stock, and, at the same time, be deprived of the services of the line. Just now, when we are hoping to go forward and do big things in this country, and when we are expecting to have a headline of progress set up all round, the closing down of this railway line is depressing. It will mean that thirty men who have permanent employment in one capacity or another in connection with this railway will be deprived of that employment altogether. We in Cork have enough unemployment already. The hopes of those who are not employed at present are not very bright, as the unemployment benefit may not be forthcoming for these people.
In that respect also the matter is important. I ask the Minister to look into the whole question and to see that what is possible will be done to avert this calamity, because it will be a calamity to the people. I am certain the Minister, with his usual courtesy and ability, will do what is possible in the matter and that the railway company will be compelled to adopt a more reasonable attitude. It threatens the very existence of the people there, and realising the importance of the matter I felt it my duty to raise a question in the House.
