On a previous occasion, and on another motion, I referred to the prevalence of unemployment in Cork. On the motion before the House to-day I do not intend to travel along the same lines. I think it is generally conceded that this relief grant of £150,000 is relatively small. At any rate it is an indication to me, though perhaps a small indication, that the Government are beginning to realise the gravity of the unemployment situation when they agreed to make an immediate—I emphasise that word—grant of £150,000 to relieve, in some way, the unemployment that exists in the Saorstát. I desire to make what I hope will be a few practical suggestions in the way of having this grant supplemented by local effort. In making these suggestions I do not propose to suggest anything that would mean a large drain on the National Exchequer. I have in mind certain projects which, so far as Cork City constituency is concerned, could with a little assistance be made practical or paying propositions. We have delved somewhat deeply for some time back into economics, and perhaps I might call them economic propositions. I want to refer in particular to some work which might be proceeded with at once, and which has only recently been stopped in the city of Cork. That is work done by the Post Office in the laying down of cables, etc. I am aware that it is proposed to supplant the existing overhead wires by a system of underground cables. This work has been stopped in Cork City and environs during the last couple of weeks. It is work that, I suggest, should be proceeded with, even though the estimates do not provide for the work to continue for some time. Eventually this work will have to be undertaken, and therefore I think it should be proceeded with now. It would be the means of giving some employment and would help in some way to relieve those in distress as the result of unemployment in Cork.
It has been suggested from the Ministerial Benches that sewerage and waterworks are the kind of works contemplated to be undertaken by a portion of this relief grant. I want to ask that the Commissioner in Cork be urged to provide work in order to supplement this grant. I understand that in Cork advantage will be taken of it in some way, but I would suggest that the Commissioner be urged to undertake sewerage work on a fairly extensive scale. Work of that kind is essential if we are to keep abreast with modern hygienic conditions. I am sure medical members of the House would agree in saying that diphtheria and diseases of that kind are caused largely by the want of proper sewerage, and in other cases by bad water supplies. A decent sewage scheme is wanted at the moment in Cork and I suggest that the Commissioner in Cork be urged to embark on one.
With a little assistance from the Government there is another scheme which, I think, could be put into a fairly strong economic position. I refer to the works at the Passage West dockyard. For a time the dockyard was financed to the extent of ten per cent. and the works were kept going there for a considerable period. I understand the Finance Department made an allowance of ten per cent. towards the wages paid in the dockyard. That was the means of giving a large amount of employment in an industry that was badly hit in the postwar period—the shipbuilding and engineering industry. This ten per cent. allowance was of advantage not alone to the workers in the industry concerned, but to the country as a whole, because the men who were kept in employment would, under other circumstances, be out of employment and be drawing the dole or unemployment insurance. I understand that that ten per cent. which the Government allowed has been withdrawn. I think it would be a decent gesture on the part of the Government now to renew this payment. In conclusion, I want to ask that when the grant is being administered in the various districts work under the schemes undertaken should not be confined to any particular class of labour. The only requisite should be that a man is unemployed and is needy. The physical state of the individual who applies for work should be taken into consideration and no qualification whatsoever should be inserted in any clause, governing the employment of those people at present out of work. It should not be stated that only ex-National Army men should be employed or even a percentage. The only qualification necessary to secure employment under this grant should be that the person or persons are unemployed and that they are needy.