asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he received from the Westport Urban District Council a copy of a resolution relating to unemployment which was adopted by them at their meeting on September 1st, 1941; whether the resolution requested him, in view of the hundreds of young men emigrating out of the district and the fact that the harbour at Westport has been closed for two years, to help them in providing special work, e.g., the second section of the Westport sewerage scheme; whether it is a fact that the plans and specifications in respect of the scheme are completed and that the urban council are prepared to proceed with the work if the Department is willing to provide a grant equal to 80 per cent. of the estimated cost of the scheme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Westport Urban Council and Unemployment.
I received a copy of the resolution referred to. No contribution to the cost of public health works could be made on the basis of ordinary relief schemes such as road works, as apart from the fact that the carrying out of water and sewerage schemes forms part of the normal duties of sanitary authorities, they do not afford the same extent of employment for unskilled labour in relation to the expenditure thereon as road works. Moreover, water and sewerage works are generally financed out of loans and sanitary authorities are facilitated by advances out of the Local Loans Fund as well as a contribution from relief funds. These facilities should act as a sufficient encouragement to local authorities to provide their districts with adequate sanitary services. The Urban Council of Westport have been informed that their request for a grant on the basis of ordinary road works or amenity schemes cannot be entertained.
May I ask the Parliamentary Secretary is he aware that a statement was made that no useful work would be held up this year for want of money? Does he consider that this Westport drainage scheme is a useful work and is it going to he held up for want of money?
It is not denied that the scheme under discussion is a useful scheme, but it will have to be financed by the local authority out of their own ordinary resources with the normal grant applicable to such works.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary not aware that, owing to the condition of the rates in Westport, it is impossible for the urban authority to carry out this scheme unless they get an extra amount of financial help from the Government?
That is not the only scheme held up for want of money.
A generous grant will be made available for financing this work. A grant on the rural relief work basis of 80 per cent. cannot be made.
What percentage of grant will be made?
That has yet to be determined, but it will be a generous grant.
At any rate, the Parliamentary Secretary will undertake that more than the ordinary grant will be made available for this scheme?
More than the normal grant. More than the ordinary grant available for such work will be made available in this case because of the special circumstances.