Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 27 Oct 1937

Vol. 69 No. 5

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Tipperary Unemployment Schemes.

Col. Ryan

asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the number of unemployment schemes which have been approved of in County Tipperary for the year ending the 31st March, 1938, the nature and location of each scheme; the total estimated cost of each scheme, and the part of the cost which it is anticipated will be spent before the 31st March, 1938; and the number of other schemes under consideration indicating the nature of such schemes and the location, and the estimated cost.

Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for Finance (Mr. Flinn)

There are more than 3,000 separate employment schemes carried out in the Saorstát each year, and special arrangements are made at the end of the financial year to inform the Dáil, by maps and schedules, of the nature and location of each work.

The information at this stage would be incomplete, and its preparation would disorganise the work of the staff engaged on arrangements for further schemes.

It is anticipated that the large majority of the approved schemes will be completed before the 31st March, 1938.

In relation to particular schemes in which Deputies may be interested, interim information can generally be obtained on application at the Special Works Division of the Office of Public Works.

Colonel Ryan

Arising out of the reply of the Parliamentary Secretary, would he say what is the determining factor in either the approval or disapproval of a scheme?

Mr. Flinn

I think that will arise better on the Deputy's next question.

Colonel Ryan

Very well.

Colonel Ryan

asked the Minister for Finance if he will state the number of unemployment schemes submitted for the County Tipperary during the last two years in respect of which approval has been refused, the nature and location of these schemes, and the reasons for disapproval in each case.

Mr. Flinn

This is a question dealing with the number of employment schemes which were reported on as being unsuitable and which, therefore, have not been approved.

The following proposals for employment schemes were reported at the date of their inspection as being unsuitable for the reasons stated, and they were, therefore, not approved.

In addition to these a large number of other proposals for minor employment schemes have been received which, for one or other of the following reasons, it has not, so far, been necessary to consider for inclusion in the programme:—

(a) not sufficient unemployed persons in the area to warrant making a grant from the Employment Fund.

(b) a more desirable or suitable employment scheme available for the area.

(c) proportionate provision for the relief of unemployment in the district already made under roads improvement schemes administered by the Department of Local Government and Public Health and by other type of schemes.

Applications and proposals to which any of the above reasons refer are considered on their merits for future programmes as occasion requires.

In a previous debate in the Dáil on the 20th April, 1937, column 1265, Volume 66, I gave a statement of additional reasons for the non-approval of proposals for such employment schemes. I am now going to read a statement of schemes with regard to the County Tipperary. I am going to read the particular schemes in this district because they are typical and because they refer to a county in which it is possible to give particulars of this kind, while it certainly would not be possible to do so in relation to some of the other counties.

COUNTY TIPPERARY.

PROPOSALS FOR MINOR EMPLOYMENT SCHEMES WHICH HAVE BEEN FOUND UNSUITABLE.

Report No.	Date Application Received	R.D. and E.D.	Townland	Nature of Work	Reasons for Disapproval
		R.D. NENAGH.
C—2427	29/10/36	E.D. Kilcomenty	Ballyard	Construct accm. road.	(1) Limited public utility, only two families served.
					(2) Objection by landowners.
		R.D. ROSCREA No. 1.
B—773	5/9/35	E.D. Roscrea	Carrick	Repair accm. road	(1) Limited public utility, only two families served.
(Report Date)
c		R.D. THURLES.
B—9221	23/9/35	E.D. Borrisoleigh	Knockbrack	Repair accm. road	(1) Refusal of consent by land-owners.
B—922	23/9/35	,, Borrisole'gh	Castlequarter	Repair accm. road	(1) Work stated to be in good repair.
B—1325	18/10/35	,, Upperchurch	Ballynahow	Construct Bridge	(1) Limited public utility, serves one family only.
f
B—922	23/9/35	,, Upperchurch	Rusheen-more	Repair accm. road	(1) Work stated to be already in good repair.
(Date of Report).
		R.D. CARRICK-ON-SUIR.
C575	8/6/36	Currangibbon	Brenonacre	Construct bog road	Cost excessive in relation to public utility of work.
		R.D. CASHEL.
C4465	16/2/37	Drangan	Newtown Drangan	Construct Bridge	Limited public utility, only one family served.
C2524	6/11/36	Drangan	Kyle	Repair accm. road	Work stated to be in good repair.
		R.D. CLOGHEEN.
C237	6/7/36	Ballybacon	Kildanoge	Drainage	Major work (estimate £1,280) outside scope of M.E.S.
(Date of Report).
		R.D. SLIEVARDAGH.
D793	3/5/37	Modeshill	Modeshill	Repair accm. road	Limited public utility, only two families served.
D2122	28/6/37	Farranrory	Bolintlea	Repair accm. road	Limited public utility, only two families served.
C4789	1/3/37	Poynstown	Clonoura	Repair accm. road	Local authority responsible for maintenance.
		R.D. CLONMEL No. 1.
B872	12/9/35	Kilsheelan	Clonwalsh	Construct bridge	Local authority responsible for maintenance.
(Date of Report).
		R.D. TIPPERARY No. 1.
A2294	6/9/35	E.D. Cappagh	Foilaclog	Repair accm. road	(1) Work stated to be already in good repair.
(Report Date).
C—2184	14/10/36	,, Cullen	Longstown	Repair accm. road	(1) Local authority responsible for maintenance.
C—4099	28/8/36	,, Donohill	Lackenacreena	Repair accm. and bog road.	(1) Limited public utility, only one family served.
D—1542	2/6/37	,, Emly	Moanmore	Drainage	(1) Limited public utility, only two families served.
C—76	17/7/37.	,, Emly	Bartoose	Repair accm. road	(1) Cost excessive in relation to public utility.
(Report Date).
C—2481	3/11/36	,, Kilfeakle	Ballyglasheen	Drainage	(1) Work stated to be already in good repair.
B—936	12/9/35	,, Kilfeakle	Kelfeakle	Drainage	(1) Limited public utility, only two families served.
C—1834	3/10/36	,, Lattin	Lattin North	Construct side walk	(1) Local authority responsible for maintenance.
C—4324	9/3/37	,, Rodus	Knockalegan	Repair accm. road	(1) Limited public utility, only two families served.
(Report Date).
C—3390	31/12/36	,, Rodus	Chancellors Land.	Repair accm. road	(1) Limited public utility, only two families served.
C—2183	14/10/36	,, Shronell	Ballinard and Scalaheen.	Repair accm. road	(1) Local authority responsible for maintenance.
C—2182	14/10/36	,, Shronell	Lattin and Glenbane.	Repair accm. road	(1) Local authority responsible for maintenance.

These are typical of the reasons for which schemes are rejected.

Mr. Everett

Would the Parliamentary Secretary give the names of the Fianna Fáil Deputies who submitted these schemes? It would be very interesting.

Mr. Flinn

If it is suggested that all the schemes of the Fianna Fáil Deputies are rejected it is rather extraordinary.

Mr. McGowan

The Parliamentary Secretary in giving reasons why other schemes were not approved intimated that one was that there were no unemployed in the areas. I do not think that in the list he has now read out there is one instance in which there are no unemployed in the area.

Mr. MacEntee

Is that a question?

Mr. Flinn

That is a third speech.