asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he is aware that the heavy cut on road maintenance recently made by the Cork County Council has resulted in orders being issued by the county surveyor to the district surveyors that men normally employed on the roads must be disemployed for one week out of four, or alternatively, that a reduction of a day and a half in each week's employment should be made on all workers and gangers; whether he is further aware that in connection with the maintenance of tar-sprayed roads the reduction will entail considerable deterioration in the standard of such roads, and if, in the foregoing circumstances, and having regard to the fact that the decision of the county council will involve widespread unemployment in the county, he is prepared to sanction the decision of the council in this matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Road Maintenance in County Cork.
A circular containing instructions to the effect of the first part of the question was issued by the county surveyor on the 29th ultimo to his assistants.
As regards the second part, the county surveyor, in the circular referred to, states that he does not anticipate that tarred roads will deteriorate under one year's cut, but that it will probably be necessary to provide larger sums than the normal to treat these roads in subsequent years.
As regards the last part of the question, the county council's decision is not subject to the sanction of the Minister. It is understood that a notice of motion concerning the matter is on the agenda for to-day's meeting of the Cork County Council.