den Aire Talmhaíochta ar eirigh le Scéim na dTithe Gloine sa nGaeltacht; nó an bhfuil sé ar an tuairim i gcónaí gur "disgusting fraud" í (Díospóireachta Dháil Éireann, col. 1165, Im. 110); agus muna bhfuil, an bhféacfaidh sé chuige go leathnófar an scéim ar fud na Gaeltachta go léir.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Scéim na dTithe Gloine.
D'fhiafraigh
Disposal of the glasshouse crops has only just finished, and the final results of the season's working will not be available for some time. I do not think it is expedient to comment further on the merits of this scheme, but it is highly unlikely that the scheme will be extended to other areas.
When does the Minister think that he will be able to give a final report on the merits of the scheme?
If I could know exactly when the Deputy wants it I should try to meet him.
I do not think it should be difficult for the Minister to decide himself the sort of information he should give to the House, particularly in view of the statements he made on introducing the Supplementary Estimate.
Any information the Deputy or any other Deputy wants as to this or any other activity of the Department I shall be most happy to supply him with.
He is getting tame and reasonable now.
More than can be said for you.
In view of the manner in which the Minister denounced this scheme when he was introducing the Supplementary Estimate I think he should feel it incumbent on him to give a full report to the House.
I assure the Deputy that I shall be happy to provide him with any particulars he wants. At the same time in the interests of the success of the scheme, if such can be secured, I think there is a good deal to be said for waiting a little. I can assure the Deputy that every reasonable effort is made by my Department to make this scheme a success if it is possible to do so. I am bound to say to the Deputy that I believe the best interests of the scheme would be served by suspending judgment on it for the present.
Now that the crop has been gathered, would the Minister not give these particulars to the House: the weight per house and the price which the crop in each house produced? That, I think, is the minimum information which the Minister ought to give. Will he do so?
I will gladly do that if the Deputy will put down a question to that effect, but I do want to put it to him that, in order to give a prudent description of this general scheme, the dangers and advantages of it must be contemporaneously viewed. I do not want to create any undue anxiety in regard to it. Every possible precaution is being taken to make it a success. The money received for the fruit is not the only consideration to be borne in mind when considering the advantages and the wide distribution of a scheme of this kind. If the Deputy would care to discuss that with me, I would be very glad to give him such information as I have, and if he then desires to elucidate it publicly in the House, I shall be happy to repeat it here.
The Minister is side-tracking what I want to get. When we were discussing this scheme in prospect——
The Deputy is discussing it now.
Will the Minister now, taking the two points which he has raised—the advantages and the dangers —tell the House what the advantages have been, as shown from the working of the scheme this year, and the dangers?
If the Deputy is prepared to discuss the matter with me, I will gladly furnish all the information to him, and in public in the House if he repeats the question.
If I ask——
Deputy Kissane.
Will the Minister say why he did not suspend judgment on this scheme when earlier in the year he described it as a disgusting fraud?
If the Deputy will join the Deputy from Galway in our conversations, I now reiterate to him my ready willingness to repeat in Dáil Éireann anything that I say to him in private if he requests me to do so.
Is not that nice?
Has the Minister considered an extension of the scheme to the County Kerry Gaeltacht?
Yes, I have. My original answer said that it was extremely unlikely that the scheme would be extended to other areas.
Why?
Come and see me some time, and I will tell you.