asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that the shortage of skilled agricultural labour is due partly to emigration; and, if so, if he will take steps to prevent emigration by the unified development of all our natural resources and secure full employment at adequate family wages.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Skilled Agricultural Labour.
The information available to me does not indicate that there is a general shortage of skilled agricultural labour. The emigration of experienced agricultural and turf workers resident or normally resident in the tillage areas has been prohibited since early in 1942 and this restriction was extended in June last to all remaining rural areas. Under the harvest labour scheme, which was introduced last year for the purpose of providing from the congested or scheduled areas of the western counties an adequate supply of labour to meet any shortage of local labour for harvesting in the tillage areas, from a pool of some 1,650 experienced agricultural workers who volunteered, a total of 391 only was asked for by farmers throughout the country; 3 farmers in the whole of County Galway applied for a total of 3 men under the scheme.
I am not clear what the Deputy means by the unified development of natural resources. The Government does not contemplate any departure from the present system of individual ownership of agricultural land. The development of national resources and productive potentialities is and always has been a main aim of Government policy.