asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he will recommend to the Dublin local authority the desirability of putting into operation Section 13 of the Poor Law Act this winter.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - RELIEVING DISTRESS IN DUBLIN.
As stated in my reply to the Deputy on this subject on the 4th July last, the initiatory steps to put Section 13 in force would be a matter not for the Minister, but for the Dublin Union Commissioners, the County Council and the Corporation.
Is the Minister aware that this year the Dublin Union Commissioners have not put Section 13 into operation and every other council in the Free State has done so? Why punish the unfortunate unemployed and their dependants in Dublin?
I can only suggest that the Deputy would make representations to the Dublin Union Commissioners over the position.
The Minister knows that I have submitted a list of a couple of hundred married men with large families to his Department, and his Department has not been able to do anything for those unfortunate people. Would the Minister not consider it part of his duty to recommend to the Commissioners the desirability of giving relief of some kind to these people?