asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will-state the number of persons (excluding employees of Bord na Móna but including those of county councils) employed in turf production in each of the years 1933 to 1947, inclusive.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Turf Workers.
Turf production other than by Bord na Móna is carried on by (a) farmers (b) county councils, (c) the State, (d) parish councils and private concerns and persons (other than farmers). No information is available as to the numbers employed in categories (a) and (d). The drive for increased turf production necessitated by the emergency started about April, 1941, and I am circulating with the Official Report a statement giving figures of average weekly employment since that date. Prior to 1941, turf production other than by farmers and the Turf Development Board, Ltd., was negligible.
AVERAGE weekly numbers of men engaged on Emergency Schemes of Bog Development and Turf Production, excluding employment by Bord na Móna (Turf Development Board, Ltd., prior to June, 1946).
|
Nature of Scheme |
April— Dec., 1941 |
1942 |
1943 |
1944 |
1945 |
1946 |
1947 |
|
Bog Development Schemes administered by:— |
|||||||
|
Special Employment Schemes Office |
569 |
602 |
836 |
1,016 |
1,141 |
794 |
908 |
|
Department of Local Government* |
1,361 |
883 |
874 |
713 |
598 |
368 |
25 |
|
Land Commission |
69 |
73 |
13 |
2 |
— |
— |
— |
|
Repair or reconditioning of county roads subject to heavy turf traffic |
— |
464 |
409 |
402 |
221 |
115 |
48 |
|
Turf Production by County Surveyors* |
13,331 |
8,256 |
8,354 |
11,309 |
8,222 |
6,777 |
7,847 |
|
TOTAL |
15,330 |
10,278 |
10,486 |
13,442 |
10,182 |
8,054 |
8,828 |
*There may be some overlapping between these figures as one man may be employed for part of the week on Bog Development work and for the remainder of the week on Turf Production.