asked the Minister for Lands and Fisheries whether the proposed scheme for the revival of the cottage industries of the Gaeltacht, including the homespun tweed industry, as outlined in the Government White Paper, on recommendations of the Gaeltacht Commission, has been fully examined and approved; and whether he can state when the scheme will be put into operation.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - COTTAGE INDUSTRIES IN THE GAELTACHT.
MICHEAL OG MAC PHAIDIN
I will answer questions 33 and 34 together.
I beg to protest. I wish to have my question answered separately. It is a different question.
Proposals for the reestablishment of the Tirconaill tweed industry are at present under consideration by the Committee recently set up for the purpose of giving effect to those proposals of the Gaeltacht Commission adopted in the White Paper of January last. Definite proposals for the preparation of the new designs and samples will come before them at their next meeting on Monday next, and I anticipate that as a result initial steps for the revival of the industry will be taken before the end of the month.
The position in regard to other cottage industries in Tirconaill and the Gaeltacht generally is at present under review in my Department.
Might I ask the Minister if anything has been done to provide a stamp for the homespuns, a point which I know was pressed upon him at the time of his recent visit, and also what is the intention with regard to the provision of a central depot?
Both of these things will follow when, as we hope, those initial steps that I mentioned will have taken place, and the initial steps will have taken place by the end of the month.
Is the Minister aware that Recommendation 13 of the Commission on the Relief of Unemployment recommended to the Minister's Department that special consideration should be given to the question of improving rural industries in the Gaeltacht? Can the Minister tell me, as a result either of that recommendation or the recommendation of the Gaeltacht Commission, what employment has been given to those engaged in the homespun industry amongst the cottage workers? The Minister says that it has been under consideration. It has been under consideration for far too long. We want to know what has been done and how many people got employment as a result of the recommendations made.
If the Deputy thinks that these things can be done in a day he is just mistaken. The whole situation has to be investigated. The homespun industry was practically dead, and the question of reviving it had to be very thoroughly gone into. The weaver craft, as a matter of fact, is practically dead.
Would the Minister mind saying how many people got employment as a result of any steps taken by his Department to improve the homespun industry amongst cottage workers?
If the Deputy had listened to the first part of the answer he would have obtained the information.
The Minister cannot answer it because he knows there is none.