Well, leave it at that. There are many other things I could say about the cost-of-living index. I want to emphasise again that I am not speaking now solely to the members of the Fianna Fáil Benches, but also to some members on this side of the House who occasionally let themselves loose on the cost-of-living index without taking very much trouble to ascertain the true facts and the real position.
In the course of the debate, a large number of items were raised and so far as I can I will try to deal with them. Deputy Lemass referred to a number of matters, but his remarks were, in the main, directed towards certain activities of Córas Iompair Éireann, particularly the proposed new bus station at Store Street, the chassis factory and the springs shop. He said that one, if not the sole, reason why this building was being erected at Store Street was that a central bus station was required. There is no doubt that a bus station is required and also central offices to house all the clerical staff of Córas Iompair Éireann were required. The intention was that Store Street would act not merely as a bus station but also as the central headquarters. It had been calculated that they would save money on it, that it would be cheaper for them to build this place and equip it and transfer all their officers there, than for them to pay rents and other commitments in relation to the present offices at the various railway stations. In my opinion, that was a fallacy. I believe that the interest and sinking fund, even on the original estimate for the cost of the Store Street building, would have been more than any cash commitments they have now to meet in respect of office accommodation.
I do not know if it occurred to them to consider to what purpose the evacuated offices at Kingsbridge, Westland Row, Broadstone and various other stations would be put once they had cleared out. I think they would be sheer waste and would become derelict. Situated as they are in the middle of railway stations, right in the heart of the railway work, they could not be let to outside concerns. Whatever might have been the risk, and however well-founded or otherwise their conclusions might have been when they started, those conclusions were founded on an estimate of £450,000 for the building of the station at Store Street. It is going to cost at least twice that amount and I have no hesitation in saying, from the information at my disposal, that before it is completed and ready for occupation by the clerical and headquarters staffs of Córas Iompair Éireann, the cost will exceed £1,000,000. I am not now going into the question as to the wisdom or otherwise of the location. We can debate that on another occasion, if it is thought desirable to do so.
Deputy Lemass also asked about the chassis factory and asserted that we were making a cardinal mistake in not proceeding with it. We have no intention of proceeding with the production of chassis there under the agreement or along the lines originally laid down by the board of Córas Iompair Éireann. The building is in course of construction and will be completed, and it will be decided at a later stage for what purpose it will be used. The chassis factory was built, designed and planned for an economic production of ten chassis per week. The estimated requirements of Córas Iompair Éireann itself were only four chassis per week —two lorries and two buses—so that, in order to make it an economic proposition and to produce ten chassis per week—eight of the ten being lorries— they would have to produce six per week, as against their own two, for the competitors outside. On the face of it, that seems to me to be a very adequate reason for stopping the production of chassis in this shop. As it was originally planned by Córas Iompair Éireann, it strikes me as a most extraordinary proposal. With regard to the agreement itself, which they made with Messrs. Leyland, which also contains some rather strange clauses, we can go into that again at a later stage. The same thing applies to the springs shop. The building was under construction and will be completed. Whether springs will or will not be made there is a matter to be decided when we see the position as it will be then.
Deputy Lemass also asked me some questions about Cement Limited, the production of cement and the reason for the delay in building the factory extension at Limerick. The company at present is producing cement to the full maximum capacity of the present equipment. The delay in proceeding with the Limerick extension is very simply explained; the company is not prepared to proceed with the building of that extension except on terms and conditions to which I am not prepared to agree. The Deputy is quite conversant with that matter himself, as he was dealing with it and negotiating with the cement company during the time he was Minister. The Government is more than anxious that the work at Limerick on this extension would start at the earliest possible moment. We are prepared to agree to what we consider not only reasonable but generous terms and I can only hope that the cement company will see that the conditions and terms to which I am prepared to agree are reasonable and almost on the generous side.
Deputy Lemass also referred to the question of steel for shipbuilding. All I can tell the Deputy and the House on that matter is that I have neglected no opportunity since I became Minister to procure the biggest possible allocation of steel for this country for ship building and other purposes. I think I can say I have devoted more time and attention to that matter than perhaps to the procurement of any other raw material for the country. I have not made very much progress. There was over 1948, and there has been to date, some slight improvement and some slight increase, but it is not very substantial. The Deputy, of course, is aware of the steel position in Britain and of the difficulty of getting steel. However, we have made continuous efforts and will continue to press for an increase in the allocation.
I want to come now to another important matter, the matter of unemployment. It is a matter in respect of which the speeches made—and again I am not confining my remarks to the Fianna Fáil Party—and the approach to it and in particular to the speech I made in Westport were not facing up to the position in the way in which it must be faced up to. There has been misrepresentation and distortion of what I said, but far from receding from the position I then took up or recalling any word I uttered on that occasion, I want to reiterate and emphasise what I said, because I look upon this matter as a matter of fundamental national importance.
In order to clear the ground, perhaps I will be allowed to quote what I did say in Westport. I had been referring to the necessity for increased production; I had been urging people to support home industry; and I had been outlining certain of the national schemes which the Government had in hand, certain of the schemes were initiated by my predecessor and which this Government decided to proceed with. I should like Deputies to listen carefully to what I am now about to read, because I propose to ask if there is any Deputy on any side of the House who wishes to challenge anything contained in these words. I proceeded to say: "It is, however, a matter of grave concern to the Government to find that very considerable difficulty is being experienced in obtaining the required number of workers for these schemes. It is indeed remarkable that, at a time when unemployment is regarded as one of our most serious problems, sufficient men cannot be obtained in rural Ireland...."
I want Deputies who have been taunting me with expecting city-born and bred workers to go down and cut turf in the bogs to take special note of the fact that I said "in rural Ireland."
"...for work on turf production and electricity development. Bord na Móna had employment available in 14 counties on production and development work. Having failed to obtain an adequate response from men who had been previously employed by them, the board approached the employment exchanges. The response in this case was also poor, although about 28,000 men with some experience of turf work were registered as unemployed. Radio and newspaper advertising was then resorted to, but as late as a week ago the labour force needed had not been obtained in 11 of the 14 counties concerned. The conditions of employment on turf work are good. The board's rate for unskilled workers is 1/4 per hour for time work, but, whenever possible, work is carried out on piece rates designed to enable the average worker to earn 1/8 per hour and, in fact, good men earn 2/- and over. Camps for workers are provided in Carlow, Kildare, Offaly and Tipperary, and, where adequate labour is not forthcoming locally, whether camps exist or not, Bord na Móna organise lorry trips over a radius of 12 to 15 miles where sufficient numbers can be obtained in towns and villages within that radius.
The experience of the Electricity Supply Board on the Erne hydroelectric scheme has been somewhat similar. Owing to the shortage of available labour it has been necessary to recruit workers for the scheme from as far away as Galway, although, at mid-April, there were over 9,200 persons registered as unemployed at the local office in Donegal and over 1,100 in County Sligo. Employment is at present available for an additional 100 unskilled workers, but they are not forthcoming. I understand also that men refused employment on the Erne scheme, preferring instead to go to Scotland as migratory labourers for a few months of the year. Adequate housing and canteens are available on this scheme and unskilled labourers are paid 1/10 per hour for a minimum of 48 hours per week, with the possibility of overtime. I am amazed that Irishmen are prepared to continue in idleness throughout the country when these opportunities for employment have been made available. This state of affairs cannot be tolerated and the persons concerned will have to realise that they cannot be kept in idleness at the expense of hard-working Irish men and women. I have repeatedly emphasised that we cannot even maintain our existing standard of living unless we produce more, and, if some of our citizens are not prepared to produce at all, it is not necessary for me to stress what our future will be."
Is there anything wrong with that? Deputy Lemass is smiling. Does he see anything wrong with it?
