asked the Minister for Finance if he will state on what basis the allocations to each county under Employment Schemes Vote (rural roads) are made.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Allocation of Employment Schemes.
Grants for road works schemes are provided in those areas in which there are likely to be sufficient numbers of unemployment assistance recipients on the register to form gangs of economic dimensions for the particular works in hands. Roads rural schemes and minor employment schemes together form a joint programme for the provision of employment schemes in rural areas and non-urbanised towns. The location of each separate work of either of these kinds is conditioned by the distance that a workman can reasonably be expected to travel to and from the work each day; and for the rural areas the district electoral division has been adopted as the unit of area for distribution of the moneys available. The numbers of unemployment assistance recipients in any electoral division are known from a special census, which is generally taken each year during the winter months, when the register is near its maximum. The grant assigned to each area is broadly in proportion to the number of unemployment assistance recipients available. The placing of minor employment schemes and roads (rural) schemes, respectively, is arranged between the Department of Local Government and the Office of Public Works, the general principle being to facilitate the councils in the selection of sites for roads (rural) schemes within the eligible areas as defined above.
Mr. Brennan
It is very hard to follow the reply of the Parliamentary Secretary. The question I asked was a very simple one. The answer was very complicated. I asked: On what basis are allocations made? Am I to assume that it is on the basis of the number of unemployed in each county? If so, will the Parliamentary Secretary say if it is on the same basis that contributions towards these schemes are demanded from county councils?
The Deputy has said that I gave a very complicated answer to a very simple question. The simpler the question is the more complicated, as a rule, the answer has to be.
Mr. Brennan
I was not aware of that.
The Deputy will, as soon as he begins to study questions of this kind intimately I have tried to give him an answer which, when he studies it, will enable him to understand the matter. The other question, A Chinn Comhairle, I submit is not the question on the Order Paper.
Mr. Brennan
I agree.
I should be most charmed to answer it if the Deputy would put it down.
Mr. Brennan
I am right in assuming that the allocation is simply made according to the number of unemployed in each county?
As far as we can, having regard to the circumstances of the case.