asked the Minister for Finance if he will state (i) the number of minor employment schemes, indicating bog schemes separately, operated in the rural districts in North Galway constituency for each month in the financial years 1947-48 and 1948-49, and (ii) the total sum expended each year, with the cost of administration shown separately.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Minor Employment Schemes.
Records are not kept in such a way as readily to provide the information sought by the Deputy, and it would not be possible, without an undue amount of clerical work, to give the information as at (i) above.
The approximate sums expended in the constituency referred to in the two financial years 1947-48 and 1948-49 were —minor employment schemes, £400 and £200, respectively; and bog development schemes, £8,000 and £7,000, respectively. It would not be feasible to segregate the administration expenses of the Special Employment Schemes Office as between separate areas and different types of employment and emergency schemes.
In addition to the foregoing expenditure, I should, perhaps, say that the expenditure in County Galway on the special field drainage scheme administered by the Department of Agriculture, but which is financed from the Employment and Emergency Schemes Vote, amounted in 1948-49 to £24,400, and this figure does not include the ordinary farm improvements schemes, on which the expenditure in Galway in 1948-49 was £16,800 approximately, as compared with £18,800 in 1947-48.
I would like if the Parliamentary Secretary would give me some information as to why it is that when I put down a similar question to this some months ago in a slightly different form—I asked for the figures in each electoral division in certain rural districts—he was able to give me all the information required and was able to go into all the figures? I am quite satisfied that all the figures could have been given now if it was not a question of shelving the thing as I got them in reply to a similar question.
What is the supplementary?
Why is it that you could not give me any figures although I got them some time ago?
The Deputy could look at the Official Report if he got the same figures.
He wants them up to date.
He says he got the same figures.
The figures of six months ago would not be the figures now.