Yes, grinding the kelp or the carrageen with them. The whole thing is a real tragedy. I remember in 1932 standing on the outskirts of a meeting addressed by the present Minister for Industry and Commerce. It was in the Gaeltacht, and the people there were making a decent living in those years out of kelp, carrageen and fishing. He lashed himself into a fury at the treatment meted out to those people in the prices given them for kelp and carrageen. He said they were being robbed, and the moment that Fianna Fáil were returned to office they would give them £20 a ton for their kelp. That made them sit up. That was what they were promised by Fianna Fáil. According to the last Deputy, they are now going to get grinding mills. I suppose they can dance to the music of the grinding mills. What in the name of Heaven is the Deputy talking about? He is merely making the absurd more absurd talking about grinding mills in the Gaeltacht where there is nothing to grind except rocks and kelp. I suppose when the £20 a ton is not materialising, it is essential to talk about something to these poor people.
Here we have a body of people whose history indicates to us that they were through the years a chronic problem. If the present Government remain long enough in office, apparently that problem will be solved, because by that time a Gael will be as scarce on the western outposts of this country just as the saying runs about the Red Indian in Manhattan. There is nothing for them, according to the last Deputy, except the Board of Works and the Department of Agriculture. What has the Department of Agriculture been doing, what is it doing, and what does it purpose doing for the Gaeltacht? The Minister promised to put the people in the Gaeltacht on the road to prosperity, and he was supposed to give them £20 a ton for kelp. Why would not the Minister for Lands pay the £20 for kelp? Why trouble the Minister for Agriculture about it?
The main assistance that the Gaeltacht people are getting is in the form of relief works, and they get paid at the rate of 12/- for three days. That is the compensation they are receiving for having cheered for the Fianna Fáil Deputies from Donegal to Cork along the Western seaboard. These people have to spend their time three days a week on rotation work, or going on bicycles to the Garda barracks to sign their names on the unemployment book. That is certainly a credit to the Government of this State. That is a nice way to deal with a community that has been a chronic problem for centuries, even under the British Government. When the British left this country there were parishes in the Gaeltacht holding as large a population as they had prior to the Famine. The population to-day, under a native Government, under 15 or 17 years of a native Government, is reduced to working grinding mills, for what purpose I do not know. The Minister for Agriculture is to be sent down to them, for what purpose I do not know, because they have neither land nor cattle nor sheep, or anything else, and they have no opportunities for tillage.
This is the sort of buffoonery that has reduced these unfortunate people to their present status. Perhaps I am rather super-sensitive or thin-skinned, but I wish to tell the Parliamentary Secretary that before I would come into this House or in front of any body of men to whom I would be responsible, with a Vote of this kind, I would resign. It might be all right to call it a joke if it were not so serious.
Take the two main items out of which these unfortunate people will get money. For the purchase of kelp and seaweed there is a sum of £3,625 set aside. That is the amount of money to be spent in the current year. It will cost £3,915 to deal with the material afterwards. The mills are certainly grinding. The £3,915 will be spent on transport, storage, grinding, screening, packing etc. The people of the entire Gaeltacht are going to get in the coming year the munificent sum of £3,625, and in order to give them that amount it will cost the State £3,915. I think it is about time the dissolution was on so that Fianna Fáil Deputies can go back to the Gaeltacht. Take the case of carrageen. We observe that £400 will be spent in connection with carrageen during the current year, and that is going to cost the State £500. That money will go for curing, grading, transport, stores and equipment and research.
Let me turn to the Parliamentary Secretary's speech on this matter. He tells us that the decreased provision for kelp under sub-head E (3) is due to provision this year for the purchase of only 1,000 tons, as against 2,500 tons last year. To give the House an idea of the infinitesimal amount of kelp that this is, down in my own constituency, in a shore-line of, say, four miles, you could put up more than was put up last year—that is, 2,500 tons. A coast-line of four or five miles would put up 1,000 tons quite readily. The Parliamentary Secretary goes on to say:—
"The depôt succeeded in getting only about one-fourth of the amount provided for last year. There is no improvement to report in the state of the iodine market, and there would seem to be little likelihood of improvement within the next few years."
And so on, and so on, and they are going, he says, to keep the industry alive. The Department, he says, is desirous of keeping it alive, and they are going to keep it alive by giving the kelp burners the magnificient sum of £3,625 for the whole of Ireland. Is the Parliamentary Secretary serious about that, or are the Government serious about it, or the Minister for Lands, when they know perfectly well that the thing is ridiculous? Then the Parliamentary Secretary comes to the question of the market for food carrageen. I expect that that has reference to the carrageen used for domestic purposes. He says that the market for food carrageen is disappointing. Then he goes on to say:—
"Commercial carrageen, however, has shown favourable results under a system by which its purchase is carried out by a company nominated by the Department. All matters concerning price, condition, and amount bought, are scrutinised thoroughly by the Department. The company has loyally fulfilled the arrangements entered into. All carrageen on offer was bought if in good condition and at a reasonable price."
I wonder has this company, whoever they are, loyally fulfilled the arrangements were entered into, I wonder, and has it loyally fulfilled them? I have been trying for years to study this kelp business with regard to its application and, of course, some considerable time ago I discovered definitely that, for example, so far as putting cattle or dogs into trim for show purposes is concerned, it is an enormous industry. I do not know how many millions of money are invested in producing pedigree dogs for shows in England. Of course, it is not so very big a thing in this country, because we are not so rich, but they can buy carrageen for these dogs for show purposes. I can tell the Parliamentary Secretary that I can guarantee that there is no other ingredient that will produce an animal in better condition—either a calf, yearling, heifer, bull, bullock or dog— and which will give him such a good coat, as a small dose of carrageen every day. I attend dog shows and cattle shows, and never yet, at any of these places, have I seen a solitary advertisement for commercial carrageen, and I have not seen it mentioned anywhere.
What is this Research Council doing to which the last Deputy referred? Has the Parliamentary Secretary not discovered that? I am not a member of a research council, and neither am I a chemist or an analyst, but I can vouch for what I have said. No matter who said it, or where he is, he cannot deny that. I can prove it. I venture to suggest that I could come here to-night and prophesy to any man, to whom I recommended the use of carrageen for the purpose of having an animal in proper trim for the forthcoming show at Ballsbridge, that he would be able to produce the best animal at the show, due to the fact that once a day the animal has got a small amount of carrageen. That goes for cattle as well as for dogs.
What is this company doing, this company that has entered loyally into this? What is this research council doing? They are simply drawing salaries and passing on memoranda, I suppose; and I suppose that some officials are spending time piling them up and that ultimately they are consigned to the waste basket. I venture to suggest to the Parliamentary Secretary that if I were dealing with the commercial carrageen side of this matter, a very considerable trade could be done. Take, for example, the number of very big manufacturers of dog-food products in England and elsewhere, but particularly in England, producing all sorts of dope for dog fanciers and people that breed pedigree dogs. There is not a manufacturer in England who produces dog biscuits and things like that, which are essential for the dogs, who could produce any article in his factory that would be a patch on carrageen for the purpose of producing a good coat for a dog for show purposes; and the same applies to cattle. Has anything been done? Has any memorandum been sent from the Research Council with regard to that? There is no use in saying that nothing can be done, because I have tested it and I can guarantee its success beyond any doubt. Yet here we have this miserable sum to buy carrageen for the current year. As I said at the beginning, this whole thing is a mockery. It is a laughing stock. It is a disgrace to the Government, a disgrace to the House and a disgrace to the State that the electorate should tolerate a Department that produces a Vote of this kind.
Now, with regard to the strictly industrial side of this thing—that is to say, the headquarters at Beggar's Bush and the manufacture of Gaeltacht products—the Parliamentary Secretary's speech is the vaguest thing that one possibly could conceive, so far as it has a relation to anything of a commercial or business character. It is well worth reading. This is a speech dealing with the commercial side of the industrial branch of this Department. In this connection, he starts off by saying: "Although much remains yet to be done." Why, I wonder? The Government are four years at this job. I remember a former Minister for Lands, ex-Senator Connolly, being terribly wroth in this House and coming in here, after he was appointed, and doing the new brush. This master mind had come along and, of course, he was going to revolutionise the whole thing. At last a magnate and a genius had come along who was going to remodel, revolutionise and modernise this whole thing and make it pay. Well, he has now gone up to comfort and security. However, as I was saying, this report by the Parliamentary Secretary goes on as follows:—
"Although much remains yet to be done, the Parliamentary Secretary is satisfied that the rural industries and general work of Gaeltacht Services are in good shape, and are being carried on, as far as possible, under Governmental machinery and, having regard to the nature of the industries, on economic and businesslike lines."
The House has heard Deputy Dockrell's criticism of that branch of it.
"Excess stocks of goods have been disposed of, and a large amount of excess stocks of materials has been utilised for the making of saleable goods."
I wonder is the Parliamentary Secretary there referring to excess stocks that were in store at the time he took charge of this Department subsequent to the departure of ex-Senator Connolly? I remember ex-Senator Connolly being in this House about a couple of years ago, and he was spitting vitriol about the mismanagement of this Department previous to the entrance of Fianna Fáil into office. You would think by him, on that occasion, that there would not be a speck of dust about Beggar's Bush that would not be sold after he got going.
Apparently when the Parliamentary Secretary arrived on the scene after the departure of Senator Connolly there was an excess of stocks:
"Excess stocks of goods have been disposed of, and a large amount of excess stocks of materials have been utilised for the making of saleable goods. Care is now taken so that only the proper type and amount of materials are purchased. Goods for sale by the Depôt are carefully examined before being despatched for the fulfilment of orders. This has led to a general expression of satisfaction with the goods produced, which is an important matter having regard to the difficulties under which the work is carried on and the absence of that factory supervision so necessary for efficiency. Agents have been appointed for many foreign markets, and it is hoped that in due course it may be possible to report favourable results. Last year the Minister in charge of the Estimate stated that he hoped to have the commercial accounts ready before long."
This gives you an idea of the efficiency of the Department:
"Those accounts for rural industries in respect of 1935-36 have already been prepared and sent to the Auditor-General for examination and audit."
for which may we express much thanks. Twelve months after the accounts were due they were sent to the Comptroller and Auditor-General. I wonder does the Parliamentary Secretary or the Minister in charge of the Department think that either of them could dare to make a statement of that kind to a commercial concern from which he would be drawing the salary that he is now drawing from the taxpayers? If he did so, what would be the result of it? Apparently our public consciences can be quite different to what would be tolerated in an ordinary commercial concern.
I feel rather sorry that a man like Deputy Dockrell should have to get on his feet in this House to deal with a Vote of this kind. He turned his criticism, of course very properly and rightly, on the way the commercial side of this Department has been run. One would think that for national reasons the Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary would consider it a national duty, having regard to the part of the country that is involved, to see that the Department was efficiently run. Suffice it to say in that respect that the accounts which were due to be presented to the Comptroller and Auditor-General on the 1st April 12 months ago are now only being sent to him. I do not think that the House should pass lightly over that condition of affairs in this Department. I think that the House should definitely say that the Estimates presented for this Department this year are of such a character that the House should in the name of the taxpayer demand that the Department should be immediately closed down. I do not see any one item in the Vote that justifies it, housing apart. That is a service that is rather tacked on to the Gaeltacht Services owing to the peculiar character of housing in the Gaeltacht. Of course, the Housing Department has been very efficient and effective and has done much for housing in the Gaeltacht, but as I say it is an appendage to this Vote. The entire work of the Department otherwise has been a failure and a fiasco from beginning to end. Its functions have now been reduced to zero as far as any service to the community which it is supposed to aid is concerned. Let me add that they are a section of the community— and this is a remarkable commentary —for whom the British Government found itself coerced to make special provision when they were here, and they did so.
Certainly this Estimate makes an overwhelming case for the proposal that has been put up for a number of years by Deputy Dillon in this House. That is to say, that it is absolutely essential for the welfare and the future of this community that a separate board should be set up to look after their interests and to care for them. It is a special problem although many Deputies give lip service to it and use the Irish language side of the question for political purposes. England although alien in civilisation, alien in language, alien in theological belief, set up a special board and gave it special funds to provide for these people. If the members of that board could know of the meagre provisions that are being made for these people to-day they would turn in their graves. These great men, without fee or reward, gave their service to these people. When I think of the prodigious services rendered by men like his Eminence the late Cardinal O'Donnell, when he was Bishop of Raphoe, and compare them with the £400 provided here for carrageen and the £3,625 for kelp by an Irish Government, I can only express my astonishment. The British Government made special provision for these people and set up a board composed of great Irishmen to cater for their needs. No matter what may be said of the old Congested Districts Board, it was composed of men of outstanding ability, a number of them men of profound patriotism. When I compare the work these people rendered, which enabled the people in these areas to carry on through all the phases and vicissitudes of the history of this country until they were handed over to an Irish Government, with the £4,000 that is now being handed out to them, I can only say, no wonder they shout "Up the Republic" or "Up Home Rule." It has certainly brought them something. It has brought them a condition of affairs under which they gather up somewhere or from somebody the price of a ticket and a canvas bag to enable them to clear out with a few "duds" of clothes.
I should like the Parliamentary Secretary to say that we are going to liquidate this show, that we are going to close it down, seeing that it is not able to carry on its affairs more efficiently. On the other hand, there is some hope for them. The Minister for Agriculture, apparently, wherever the suggestion has come from, is going down to the Gaeltacht. There is one part of the Gaeltacht of which they have some experience. At the last two general elections the Fianna Fáil candidates said that they were going to spend £1,000,000 on the fishing harbour at Downings. £1,000,000 at Downings! What a tide there would be at Downings if £1,000,000 were spent there!
Now, six years afterwards, there has not been a penny spent. As a matter of fact, the demands of the people of Downings are now reduced to asking for a small basin. I take it that the basin is a harbour construction—not delph; it is a basin for the purpose of sheltering some boats, not for catching fish or anything like that. The poor people of Downings, who were going to have a million pounds lashed at them without asking for it, are now reduced to being refused the small amount of money required to construct a small basin for sheltering fishing craft.
