Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Jun 1933

Vol. 48 No. 10

In Committee on Finance. - Supplementary and Additional Estimates. Vote 69—Relief Schemes.

Minister for Finance (Mr. MacEntee)

I move:—

Go ndeontar suim Bhreise ná raghaidh thar £350,000 chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1934, chun síntiúisí i gcóir fóirithine ar dhíomhaointeas agus ar ghátar.

That a Supplementary sum not exceeding £350,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending the 31st March, 1934, for contributions towards the relief of unemployment and distress.

It will be seen from the details given in the Estimate that of this sum of £350,000, £250,000 is to be allocated to public health and miscellaneous schemes and £100,000 to the drainage of bogs, construction of bog roads and other works ancillary thereto. The administration and control of the relief works will be, as last year, under the control and supervision of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance.

General Mulcahy

Am I to understand that the general discussion on these relief schemes will take place on the main Estimate?

Mr. MacEntee

We can take it on Votes 10 and 11. The main Estimate has been taken, in fact, I have announced already that the relief schemes will be under the administration of the Parliamentary Secretary, so I presume that any discussion that the Dáil may desire to have can take place on the vote for the Parliamentary Secretary's office.

Mr. Roddy

How does the Minister propose to spend the £250,000 which it is proposed to allocate for public health?

Mr. MacEntee

Mostly for water supply and sewerage. At the present moment proposals are under consideration by the Department of Local Government and Public Health dealing with schemes of this sort for 49 different localities and involving a total sum of £94,000. In addition, proposals have been received, or are to be made later, for schemes in Dublin for various public works involving about £50,000. There are also under consideration at the present moment proposals from the Department of Agriculture for additional forestry operations, for subsidies in aid of schemes to be administered by the County Committees of Agriculture, and for the extension of land reclamation schemes previously carried out in the Gaeltacht. In general, the administration of the schemes will be under the control of the Parliamentary Secretary, and the type of work which will be financed out of the sub-head covering public health and miscellaneous schemes will be mainly works of public utility.

Mr. Roddy

Did I understand the Minister to say that the £100,000 on the drainage of bogs and construction of bog roads is to be administered exclusively by the Board of Works?

Mr. MacEntee

That is the intention at present; with this proviso, that it is proposed to set aside a sum of about £25,000 for the drainage of bogs for commercial development purposes. The actual works will be carried out under the supervision of the Board of Works, but the planning of the proposals will be under the control of the Minister for Industry and Commerce.

Mr. McMenamin

Will these bog roads be made during the summer so as to allow the turf to be taken out in August or September?

Mr. MacEntee

No. We are dealing now with the roads. I should like to point out that, in general, the need for employment in these districts is greater in the winter than in the summer and it has been the custom to have these works carried out when the need is greater. Accordingly, I would not bind myself to a condition that it would be carried out mainly in the summer. It would be carried out this winter so as to be available for next summer.

Mr. McMenamin

The people are asked to cut an excessive amount of turf this year, and have to go into virgin bogs to cut it. If that be so, there will be no access to those bogs to bring the turf out. That is the difficulty arising.

Mr. MacEntee

I think that the Deputy is mixing this up with another scheme.

Mr. McMenamin

I am not.

Mr. MacEntee

I pointed out, in answer to a previous question, that of the £100,000 which was to be allocated for the drainage of bogs £25,000 was definitely ear-marked for the drainage of the bogs for commercial development purposes. That work will be during the dry months of the year. We hope, as a matter of fact, to get it going in the almost immediate future.

Mr. McMenamin

Does the Minister not see that the making of the roads is more important than drainage at the moment, because the turf will have to be got out?

Mr. MacEntee

The Minister is not aware that there is any shortage of bog roads, or at least that there is such a shortage of them as would prevent a sufficient development of the bogs during the present season. The Deputy must bear in mind that quite a lot of turf cutting has been done already.

Mr. McMenamin

I agree, as a result of the extra inducement under this Vote.

Mr. MacEntee

Yes, as a result of the moneys which the Dáil voted, and of the publicity which was given to the Government's proposals so far back as April last.

Mr. McMenamin

That is so. Does the Minister not see the point in that? If there is extra turf cut it will be cut in virgin bogs, and the existing roads are only suitable for a normal supply from the old bogs which are used for household purposes.

Mr. MacEntee

There is no information in the Department to show that there is such a shortage of bog roads.

Mr. Minch

Everybody is speaking so low to-day that it is very hard to follow. What I want to get clear is this: £25,000 has been allocated for the peat scheme; that leaves £75,000 for the development of bog roads and drainage. Is that right?

Mr. MacEntee

Yes.

Mr. Roddy

Before we pass from that, it is clearly understood that we will have an opportunity of discussing this Estimate fully when dealing with the Board of Works Estimates?

Mr. MacEntee

Yes.

Vote put and agreed to.