Vol. 82 No. 1
I move:—
That a Supplementary sum not exceeding £10 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending 31st March, 1941, for Salaries and Expenses in connection with Gaeltacht Services, including Housing Grants.
Níl sa mheastachán so, £10, ach comhartha. Isé a theastuíonn ná go bhféadfaí úsáid a bhaint as Leithreasaí-i-gCabhair a bheadh sa bhreis thar mar a cuireadh sa bhun-mheastachán, maraon le sábháltaí fé mhírchinn áirithe den Vóta, chun abhair breise de cheannach do sna Tionnscail Tuaithe agus na costaisí breise a bhainfidh leo, d'íoc.
Tá £27,000 breise ag teastáil i gcóir abhar do sna Tionnscail Chniotála agus Figheadóireachta, agus £5,400 breise do sna Tionnscail Bhréagán, sé sin £32,400. Tá £4,290 eile ag teastáil i gcóir costaisí, agus mar sin tá móréileamh de £36,690 ar fad i leith abhar déantóireachta agus costaisí. Den mhéid sin, slánuítear £17,800 tré Leithreasaí breise i gCabhair agus slánuítear an chuid eile, ach amháin an £10 is gá i gcóir an mheastacháin seo, tré shábháltaí a déanfar ar mhírchinn áirithe den Vóta.
Is féidir a rá gurb é cúis a theastuíonn breis airgid le h-agha abhar do cheannach do sna Tionnscail Tuaithe, ná stór bréige do bheith á chur ar fáil d'obair na dTionnscal, agus praghas na n-abhar do bheith imithe i ndaoire ón uair do hullmhuíodh an bunmheastachán. Fé D.7 tá £640 ag teastáil agus baineann sé sin le costaisí iomchair i leith na dTionnscal Cniotála agus Figheadóireachta.
Fé D.8 tá £1,800 ag teastáil i leith costaisí iomchair a bhaineas leis na Tionnscail Bhréagán agus i leith abhar pacála agus maisíní do sna Tionnscail chéanna. Fé F.3 tá £1,850 ag teastáil agus baineann an chuid is mó den méid sin le habhair phacála agus páipéarachais a húsáidfí ar thaobh na margaíochta do sna Tionnscail. Dá bhárr sin beidh stór breise ar láimh againn do sna rudaí sin.
Nuair a bhí an bun-mheastachán á ullmhú measadh go mbeadh timpeall £105,000 de dhíolacháin againn sa bhliain, ach do réir mar a meastar anois beidh £130,000 nó níos mó againn. Ceaptar, ámhthach, ná beidh an t-airgead sin go léir fachta againn roimh dheireadh ná Márta seo chughainn, agus sin fé ndear dúinn a mheas ná beidh thar £126,500 taguithe isteach. Nuair a bhí an bun-mheastachán á ullmhú ceapadh ná béadh le n-íoc i leith ná oibre agus árachais na n-oibrithe ach £28,000. Isé a meastar anois ná go mbeidh £37,000 le n-íoc sa tslí sin. Beidh breis bheag le n-íoc i leith choimisiúin agus costaisí ilghnéitheacha eile a híoctar ó sna Leithreasaí-i-gCabhair, agus dá bhárr sin meastar gur £80,097 glan a bheas fagtha mar Leithreasaí-i-gCabhair.
Is ionann sin agus méadú de £21,597. Ina choinnibh sin, tá measta againn gur lugha na Leithreasaí-i-gCabhair a bheas le fáil as díolachán na Ceilpe ná mar a céad-mheasadh; meastar anois go mbeidh £3,237 níos lugha le fáil. Sé fé ndear sin ná gan an méid Ceilpe agus Feamna le n-a raibh súil do bheith ar fáil, agus gur féidir go mbeidh cuid den Cheilp gan díol i ndeire na bliana. Tá laghdú freisin ar an méid Leithreasaí-i-gCabhair a bheas le fáil ó dhíolacháin na Cairrgíne, agus laghdú beag eile i leith na méideanna a bhfaighfear in aisíoc ar iasachtaí tionnscail.
Má cuirtear na laghduithe sin i gcoinnibh na breise ar Leithreasaí-i-gCabhair o sna Tionnscail Tuaithe, fagtar go mbeidh £17,800 breise de Leithreasaí-i-gCabhair ann in aghaidh na méideanna breise atá ag teastáil i gcóir ceannachán agus costaisí breise.
Beidh an chuid eile den airgead atá ag teastáil i leith na gceannachán agus costaisí breise sin le fáil ó shábháiltí ar Mhírchinn áirithe den Vóta. Sábhálfar £11,250 ar Mhírcheann D.9 a bhaineas leis an dTionnscail Sníomhacháin a bhí le bunú; do cuireadh moill leis seo toisc gan inneallthóir comhairlíochta bheith ar fáil againn in am don obair. Beidh soláthar í meastachán na bliana seo chughainn i leith bunuithe an Tionnscail Sníomacháin sin. Sábhálfar £1,480 ar Mhírcheann E.3 a bhaineas leis an dTionnscail Cheilpe agus Feamna.
Beidh sábháil £3,360 ar H.3 a bhaineas le Teach-Shóláthair. Tuigfear an deacracht a bhaineas anois le hobair na dTithe do choimeád ar siul. Beidh sábháiltí beaga eile ann de mhéid £2,790 ar fad ar na Fó-mhírchinn B., D.1, D.5. E.4, F.1, F.2, G, agus H.1, agus leis na sábháiltí sin go léir beidh £18,880 ar fáil chun dul i gcoinnibh an mhéid de sna ceannacháin agus costaisí breise nar slánuíodh tre Leithreasaí breise i-gCabhair. Dá bharr sin, fágtar gur £10 atá ag teastaíl anois chun íoc as na ceannacháin breise agus chun soláthar do dhénamh do sna costaisí breise.
I think it would be no reflection on the Parliamentary Secretary's interest in the national language, or on the devotion of the House to the national language, to express the view that the Parliamentary Secretary might have given us in English a summary of the statement he has just given us in Irish. It would require a good deal of the use of both languages and the Parliamentary Secretary's eloquence to explain why a good many things have not been done by his Department and also the extraordinary time that it takes the Department to arrive at decisions on the many matters brought to its notice, matters of which the Parliamentary Secretary has had cognisance for a very long time.
Deputies from West Cork have been aware for a long time of one very serious grievance under which the people in a remote part of the county labour—the absence of facilities to connect the island of Cape Clear with the mainland. The Parliamentary Secretary may say that is not primarily a matter for his Department; but the island of Cape Clear is purely a Gaeltacht area, one of the few surviving strongholds of the Gael in that part of the country, and I think the Parliamentary Secretary and his Department have some special obligations to the people there. The distance between Cape Clear and the mainland is about nine miles. Even in tolerably good weather it is a dangerous passage. For the last year and a half owing to the absence of a suitable boat, the passage has been made by people at very considerable risk. I think the Parliamentary Secretary would bring a good deal of credit to his Department, or at least dissipate a good deal of the prejudice that prevails against it, if he did something practical to remedy that matter, which has been brought to the notice of the Government time and again. There has been an almost endless stream of correspondence between the local priest, the board of health, the Gaeltacht Department and the Department of Posts and Telegraphs. I should like to know the reason of the delay and if anything has been done within recent months to give facilities to the islanders.
I am not satisfied with the position of what are described as rural industries; I do not believe they are being carried on with the necessary degree of interest or enthusiasm. There have been complaints in certain places in West Cork, where the industries have been established, regarding the buildings in which they are housed and the general equipment, and it has been said that the general atmosphere of desolation that surrounds them makes it impossible for any enthusiasm or interest to be sustained. I hope the Parliamentary Secretary will give some indication of how we could endeavour to offset in some way the terribly devastating effects of unemployment. Unemployment is daily increasing and perhaps we could, to some extent, at least, counter that by endeavouring to foster employment in the Gaeltacht areas.
In a great many of the Gaeltacht areas after this week people in receipt of unemployment assistance will get no further assistance of that sort. Certain areas have been scheduled as exempt from that provision, but a great many of the people in those areas will have no prospect of assistance unless they make an application through the home assistance officer to the board of health, a body already considerably burdened. I think the Parliamentary Secretary should avail of this opportunity to show, in the existing situation, what steps his Department will take to increase employment and do something for people who are abandoned, people to whom we give lip service occasionally at meetings, telling them how bravely they are carrying on the old Gaelic traditions and then giving them, as a reward for that, the cold shoulder and ignoring every reasonable demand they may make. This Department ought to disappear if it does not do something to justify itself. I cannot see any evidence, from the contact I have had with the Department, that it has justified itself or that it is entitled to the consideration or sympathy of the Dáil.
Mr. Bartley rose.
Before the Deputy intervenes, I should like to point out that Deputy Murphy got a certain amount of latitude. This is a supplementary vote for £10, covering two items. Questions of policy may not be raised on a supplementary vote, particularly when it is only a token vote.
I am very sorry if I acted contrary to the rules of debate. I did so quite unintentionally.
The Deputy need have no regrets; he was not called to order.
I wish to draw the Parliamentary Secretary's attention to a certain grievance that he may not be in a position to deal with directly, but I should like him to use the good offices of his Department in trying to get it remedied. I refer to the transportation of fish from the Aran Islands to the mainland. It is a rather difficult question, but it is a very important one for the Aran islanders, particularly at this time of the year. There are boats on the big island which could be utilised for the purpose.
Is the Minister for Agriculture not responsible in that matter?
Directly he is, but I understand that the Gaeltacht Services Department, apart from their own undertakings, are always ready to use their good offices in the interests of the people of the Gaeltacht areas, even though they may not be immediately responsible. It is for that reason that I am asking the Parliamentary Secretary to give some consideration to this matter.
I should like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary some questions arising out of a matter that was on the Order Paper to-day. The Minister for Agriculture was asked to take steps to have the present year's crop of seaweed harvested for kelp manufacture. As the Estimate for the Department concerned may not be considered until the season when this work should be done is somewhat advanced, I should like to know from the Parliamentary Secretary if he proposes to take any steps in that matter? I am speaking now of seaweed for agricultural purposes.
That would be a matter for the Minister for Agriculture, to whom a question was addressed to-day.
I know, Sir, but the Parliamentary Secretary is in charge of this Department.
The two relevant matters are Rural Industries and the Central Marketing Board.
If you do not permit me, Sir, to refer to it, I shall accept your ruling, but——
The Chair does not permit.
The only other item with which I want to deal is the matter of yarn. I have been watching the shops to see if any new designs for spring goods have come from this Department. I do not know if they are being shown, but I have not seen one new design this year. One would have expected the new patterns and designs for the current season to be shown before now, but any pattern I see is last year's. One shop in O'Connell Street last year had a splendid selection and I have been watching those windows and hoping to see something new, but I have not seen them at all this year. Our friends in Nassau Street are showing them, but so far as I can see, these also are last year's designs. Money is provided here for designs and I should like to hear what the Parliamentary Secretary has to say about them. Are they manufacturing tweeds this year at all? Is this yarn for the manufacture of tweeds for commercial purposes or solely for the purposes of the Army?
With regard to Gaeltacht housing, the erection of houses in Gaeltacht districts is practically at a standstill.
Gaeltacht housing does not come under either rural industries or marketing.
I want to ask the Parliamentary Secretary if his Department could co-operate in any way with the Department of Agriculture in assisting people who reside in Gaeltacht districts. In South Kerry, in Ballinskelligs and Cahirciveen areas, the people have applied for assistance in respect of the erection of a plant for milling the cereals which the Department has asked them to produce and which will be an important factor in the situation in the near future. I submit that that should be a matter for this Department, in the first instance, and that it should assist these people who are applying for these facilities. I suggest that, if there are any funds available, the Department should co-operate with the Department of Agriculture in providing these facilities for the people there.
That, I understand, is a matter for the Department of Agriculture.
I am submitting——
That it ought to be changed?
No, but that it is also the concern of the Gaeltacht Industries branch. I think there should be some co-operation at least between the two in respect of giving proper assistance to these people. I merely make the point, with your permission——
The Chair has not given permission. It is a question for another Department, and I think the Deputy is aware of that fact.
I must accept your ruling, Sir.
With regard to marketing, one item which, I suppose, could be discussed is the provision of facilities for getting to these central markets. Deputy Murphy has raised the question of facilities for getting from Cape Clear Island to the mainland, and I may be referred back to another Department in this respect because, from time to time, there was a boat service which began with the Posts and Telegraphs Department, then went to the Fisheries Department and finally the Parliamentary Secretary's Department was responsible for its upkeep. Between the lot, the service has got into a very bad position and I want to suggest here that, if it is within his province, the matter should get careful and prompt consideration from the Parliamentary Secretary.
Firstly, I should like to apologise to Deputy Murphy if he did not get a copy of my statement, as I understand is the case. The translation was to have been circulated. This is a mere token Vote of £10 to authorise my Department to expend certain sums which come in by way of Appropriations-in-Aid, the money being required principally to enable us to lay in stocks of essential materials to meet the expanding market for our industries. I am glad to inform the House that the market is growing and the volume of business increasing. It has increased considerably during the past few years. In reply to Deputy Murphy with regard to the boat service between Cape Clear Island and the mainland, I should like to point out that the service terminated because the boat had got into a state of disrepair. It had become unseaworthy and it was necessary to have it repaired. That work was undertaken some considerable time ago, but it has taken a considerable time to have the repairs carried out. They have, however, now I understand, been completed and it is only a question of providing the necessary life-saving apparatus for the boat in order to put it into operation again. As the Deputy pointed out, the matter concerns another Department as well as mine, but I can assure him and Deputy O'Neill that there has been no unnecessary delay. As a matter of fact, I personally went down to the area, as the Deputy is aware, to look into the matter.
Deputy Bartley raised the question of the transport of fish from the Áran Islands. I do not propose to go into that matter, except to assure the Deputy that anything my Department can do, in co-operation with any other Department, to help any such project will be done. I should like to refer briefly to Deputy McMenamin's remarks with regard to manufacture of potash from kelp, although the matter might more appropriately be raised on another occasion. Immediately on the outbreak of war, I convened a conference with representatives of the various Departments concerned with a view to having this potash produced. The matter was gone into very fully and we discovered that it would cost something like double the normal price at which this potash could be obtained elsewhere, and, because of that, it was considered inadvisable to proceed with it. Deputy McMenamin inquired about designs. I should point out that there our scope is limited because of the amount of material available. But I think our designs are as good as any on the market. That opinion is shared by others. I am sure Deputy McMenamin will be amazed to learn that that is the opinion held by no less a person than one of his leaders, Deputy Dillon.
Do you mean one standard design?
We have changed the design. That brought in new business and, as a result, our sales are increasing. According to the Report of the Public Accounts Committee for June 27th, 1940, of which Deputy Dillon is chairman, he said at that meeting:
"With regard to sub-head F (2)— Advertising and Publicity, we have often made severe criticisms of many Gaeltacht products, and I think it is right to mention now that some of the tweeds they are producing are beyond praise. They are splendid tweeds. Some of the stuff they did produce was awful."
He stated later:
"Despite my patriotic inclinations, I would not be wearing it unless it was first class. Astonishingly enough, they are now competing, and competing very well, with factory products in Great Britain. Some of their products are equal to the best products of some of the best factories in England, and they are beating them on the Continent."
I am sure Deputy McMenamin will be surprised to hear that tribute coming from Deputy Dillon.
Why surprised?
I am surprised that it should come from any member of the Opposition.
Has the Minister seen any of the designs this year?
The Parliamentary Secretary is in possession.
I certainly have. While I do not claim to be an authority, I have read the statement made by a leader of the Opposition who is an authority on the subject. The only other matter was that raised by Deputy Flynn with regard to housing. Like every other Department concerned with housing we were up against difficulties which were not of our making. They had reference to the provision of materials. In this respect I think we have given a lead to other Departments of State and to other people interested in building. A number of houses of entirely new design have been erected by the Department in the Gaeltacht. For that purpose we utilised entirely native materials, and excluded some materials hitherto considered indispensable, but which are now unobtainable. A few houses have been erected in Deputy Flynn's constituency in West Kerry and others in West Mayo. The design has enabled us to reduce the cost at which these houses can be erected, and incidentally made it possible for people still to continue to avail of the grant, despite the increasing cost of materials.
