asked the Minister for Lands and Fisheries if he will state the amount of money spent by his Department in the Fanad Peninsula from 1st October, 1930, to date out of the grant for the relief of unemployment or other moneys; what was the nature of the works concerned, and whether any conditions were imposed on the men employed.
Ceisteanna.—Questions. Oral Answers. - Relief Works on Fanad Peninsula.
The amount spent since 1st October last has been £360. The works are part of the general measures for the increase and improvement of the kelp produced under the scheme of collective marketing, and consisted of the erection of enclosures on the Breton model for the stacking of winter weed, the provision of drying sheds, and the making of accommodation tracks on and from the foreshore. The works were confined to kelp-makers being members of or applying to enter the scheme of collective marketing. Although these works were in addition to works out of the Relief Fund, liberty was given for the employment of any other persons in genuine need of relief not provided for by other relief works in the district.
Will the Minister give us some information about this scheme of collective marketing? Is it a statutory thing? Is it allied with the Sea Fisheries Association?
Collective marketing was organised by the Department. The Deputy will have an opportunity of discussing the matter later on, because I will deal fairly fully with it in a Supplementary Estimate.
Does the Minister mean to say that he will not give relief work to men who will not join the scheme?
If moneys are provided for a special purpose, such as for dealing with kelp in a particular way, we would be perfectly justified in not doing so, but, as I have stated in the end of my reply, liberty was given for the employment of any other persons in genuine need of relief who were not provided for by other relief works in the district.
Have they not to enter into a signed undertaking to sell their kelp only as they are directed?
The works were confined to kelp makers being members or applying to enter the scheme of collective marketing. That is where the signature of a document comes in. In the ordinary way there is an application to enter the collective marketing organisation. As I pointed out in the answer, liberty was given for the employment of any other persons in genuine need of relief, even though they were not kelp gatherers or had not entered the organisation.
Were not these men made sign a document?
Not in all cases, as I have indicated in my reply.
Does this money come out of the Relief Fund?
No, a Supplementary Estimate is being provided for that.
The Minister has not answered my question at all.
The Deputy asked if there was money coming from the Relief Fund or were there other moneys.
The Minister stated that liberty would be given to employ people in genuine need of relief on the peninsula. That is not so. I interviewed a ganger there and he showed me a document that had to be signed and he said he had been instructed by the agent that only those engaged in the kelp industry would be allowed to work.
That may have been in the early stages.
That was last Monday week.
It is since then that the change has been made. I have pointed out that if there were no other relief works going on in the district liberty was given to employ persons in need or relief.
Is the work being carried out there still, or has it been finished?
I am not quite sure.