asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether any proposals have been submitted to his Department by the Local Bodies throughout the Saorstát for the relief of unemployment; and, if so, the nature of the proposals and those sanctioned by him, and the number likely to be employed at an early date.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - LOCAL BODIES AND UNEMPLOYMENT.
Many proposals of this nature reach my Department from time to time. I have no funds at my disposal primarily applicable to the relief of unemployment. Every effort is made to achieve that object by the acceleration of, and the promotion of, schemes concerning road construction and repair, housing and other public works. On the general question I would refer the Deputy to the recent very full debate on unemployment.
Is the Minister aware that at this time of the year it is customary for the local bodies to provide money for the relief of unemployment by either distress work or distress grants, and will he say whether it is likely that within the next month work of the nature I describe will be given to the Dublin unemployed?
Will the Minister say what is the total amount represented by the schemes submitted by the local authorities? Does he agree that the local authorities cannot be reasonably expected to carry out these schemes, in view of the financial liability involved, and if so, has he made any representation to the Department of Finance regarding the necessity of providing money to have these schemes carried out without further delay?
Is the Minister aware that the head of the Roads Department has issued instructions to at least one County Council telling it not to proceed with this work until the Spring?
It is very difficult to draw a line of demarcation between relief works and ordinary public works. In fact, it would be impossible to do it, and for that reason it is also impossible to answer questions as to what is the total amount proposed by the various local authorities for the hundreds of different kinds of schemes that are being continually submitted to my Department in different stages of development. Some of them are more in the nature of relief schemes than others. It would be very difficult to decide which were unemployment schemes and which were not. I would want to issue a regular pamphlet to deal with all the different schemes carried out by local authorities with our sanction. As regards Deputy Davin's question about the financial straits of certain local authorities, I do not think that is any justification why we should bring further pressure on our own Exchequer. I have put up various proposals to the Minister for Finance, some of which are receiving consideration at the present time.
I would like to know the total amount roughly of the schemes approved by the Minister for Local Government and submitted to the Minister for Finance, and whether the Minister for Local Government can hold out any hope that the Minister for Finance will respond to the demands put forward, if any have been put forward, by the Department for Local Government.
I would require notice of that question. I do not know exactly what the Deputy has in mind, whether he means all the money at present being expended on road works, under the Housing Acts and under the various public works, or whether he has in view some particular kind of relief measures, because there is no such thing as relief measures, as such, being carried out at the present time-that is, primarily as relief work.
Will the Minister answer my question?
I will require notice of that question.
I think we are entitled to have an answer to the question put bluntly by Deputy Byrne: whether the Minister has submitted to the Department of Finance such schemes as have been sent into his Department by the different local authorities in which they put forward estimates showing the actual amount that could be usefully spent to relieve unemployment.
Schemes of that kind are being continually submitted to my Department and to the Minister for Finance.
Would the Minister answer the point that I put to him in a supplementary question: whether the Dublin local authorities have submitted to him any scheme for the temporary relief of unemployed during the Christmas season. It has been customary for practically the last 20 years to have this temporary relief work carried out about the Christmas season.
No.
Can the Minister say why not?
I am not the local authority.
Perhaps if the Minister were to ask Deputy P.S. Doyle, who sits behind him, he would be able to give him some information on the matter?
I would ask the Minister to try and do something in regard to the North Lotts main drainage. That is a matter that would give considerable employment. It has been promised for the last three or four years, and is a matter for the local authorities.