I should like to have some understanding about the discussion that is going to take place. As far as I am concerned it need only take a little time, but it might be lengthened by others. Last night Deputy Hogan asked for an opportunity to reply and, as that is quite proper, I would be glad that he should have that opportunity. I do not propose to occupy the time of the House to any considerable extent. What I want to make quite clear is that this rate has not been invented for the purpose of this particular scheme, nor has it behind it any of the animus which, unfortunately, was suggested, of deliberately reducing wages or doing anything of that kind. What happens in the case of a very large scheme is that there is a definitely segregated portion, roughly speaking, about £80,000, which is definitely analogous to drainage work in an existing drainage district. The drainage rate for Clare, as far as I know, for the last six or seven years was 27/-, and that particular rate was adopted for the work on this scheme for no other reason than the fact that it was the conventional rate, as is the drainage rate in a scheme of this kind. For instance, a portion of it is covered by something like £17,000 which is purely agricultural labouring work. In the same way there is included in that £1,500 for purely temporary accommodation roads for the purpose of getting plant in for the drainage work. That £1,500 could be taken out and a special rate made for it, but what was desired was to get a rate which would cover the whole of this kind of work which is anologous to drainage work. A large body of other work is going to be done by contract: (1) the construction of a concrete approach road also aprons to buildings and hangars; (2) water supply and sewerage; (3) buildings, including hangars; (4) construction of prepared surface runways; (5) the construction of sea breakwaters; (6) Pitching slopes to breakwaters; (7) construction of slipways and landing facilities; (8) dredging anchorage. All that is work that, as far as I know, will be done by contract and will be subject to the ordinary rates of contract in relation to the proper rate applicable to it. What I am trying to get at is that there is a definite segregation here between work which is obviously of a drainage character and work which is obviously not of a drainage character, and what is desired is to get a rate which will cover the whole of those works. We chose the highest rate which was available for work analogous to agricultural work in the district.
We have run up against a certain difficulty, but the men actually working have made their own direct representations in the matter and, as far as I know, all the difficulties which they have had up to the present have been met. I am perfectly satisfied that, as we go on, those representations will continue to be made and that those difficulties will be met as they come up. The only difficulty that I see that might in any way technically be in the mind of anyone in criticising this as a drainage rate is probably the difficulty which is in the mind of the mover of the motion that while this is—and nobody can possibly deny that —essentially drainage, and nothing else but drainage, it is ancillary to something which is not drainage—I mean, not agricultural drainage. The rate for drainage work has been set on the basis that the work actually done by those engaged in drainage is closely analogous to agricultural work, and the mere fact that that drainage has, in fact, been ancillary to other purposes has not affected the application of that drainage rate for the purpose.
I will take the case of the Barrow. In that case, a certain considerable amount of the effect of the drainage is not for the purpose of agricultural land at all, but benefited the property in urban areas, house property, and the rest in places liable to be flooded. Actually, some of these districts are being assessed on that valuation. Take the Cappamore drainage in Limerick. The big urge in relation to that district as far as my experience of the files is concerned, was to save the town of Cappamore from being flooded. Whenever I used to hear about Cappamore it was word from somebody to say, "Come and see Cappamore under water"; it was not, "Come and see the fields of Limerick under water," but "Come and see Cappamore under water." The fact that a good deal of the benefit of that particular scheme inured to the benefit of the town did not prevent a drainage wage, founded on agricultural wage, being used. In another case the town of Tullamore was benefited and a special assessment was made on the town, but that did not affect the purpose.
In case the Deputy may be under the misapprehension that it is the eventual purpose of the drainage which decides the wage on a scheme which is in its essence drainage, I think these things will disabuse his mind. All I can say is that we are very anxious to see that the labour conditions in this aerodrome are going to be satisfactory. There are going to be up to 400 men employed. We are going to have very definite difficulty in getting that amount of labour in that particular area, because geographically it is a most peculiar area. In the ordinary way, if you want 400 men in a certain district you will have 360 degrees in the circle to draw from. In this particular place, due to the fact that it is between the Shannon and the Fergus, you practically are out on a peninsula. You have only a very narrow radius from which to draw. For that reason, there are going to be difficulties in getting labour and we recognise that there are problems to be solved. All I can say is that, in the solving of these problems, every possible effort will be made to see that the conditions are those which will make for friendly and comfortable accord between those who have to do the job and those actually working on it. Any representations I have received up to the present have been directly dealt with. Any representations which I receive will be dealt with immediately and sympathetically. I am satisfied that, along those lines, we are more likely to obtain a solution of any difficulties we have than by discussions in this House. The difficulty concerning discussions of this kind is that one word borrows another——
