asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he will indicate (a) if special sums will be made available to local authorities to provide Christmas relief work; (b) whether the sum provided in the case of each local authority will be adequate to provide four weeks' employment prior to Christmas for the unemployed men in the functional area of such local authority; and (c) whether he is in a position to inform the local authorities now of the amount that will be available for Christmas relief work in each case and the date on which such sums will be made available.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Funds for Christmas Relief Work.
It is not proposed to set aside any special portion of the Employment Schemes Vote for Christmas relief work, or to vary the present system of employment on relief schemes.
Does the Minister not consider it very unfair that, on the approach of Christmas, which is a period of abnormal expenditure, even for the poorest, persons should be restricted to three or four days' work in the week? Will he not take steps, in view of the abnormal expenditure involved at Christmas on the part of all citizens, to arrange that relief schemes around that period will acknowledge the right of every person to get four full weeks' continuous employment?
I am afraid that is not possible.