asked the Minister for Local Government whether, in view of the great difficulties that are being experienced in the carrying out of drainage work under the Local Authorities (Works) Act, 1949, owing to winter weather conditions, he will take steps to have this work postponed until the summer months, and to have the men who are at present employed on it transferred to other essential public work, such as road construction.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drainage Operations.
As the Deputy is aware, the Local Authorities (Works) Act did not become law until July last and, therefore, schemes under the Act could not be put in hand earlier than the autumn. The works undertaken by the aid of grants appropriated for the present financial year should be completed by the 31st March next. Otherwise it is a matter for the local authority to have regard to weather and other conditions in organising the carrying out of both road works and drainage schemes.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that it is insane, inhuman and unchristian to have men working in water three or four feet deep in the winter time, when they could be doing more useful work on road reconstruction, or work of that nature? Would the Parliamentary Secretary consider postponing drainage work until the summer months and diverting the men to road work or other essential work; and also enabling the local authorities to expend next year's revenue in anticipation to the extent of the amount which has been allocated to each county for drainage?
Such advice could not be given to local authorities. When the Minister notified the different local authorities of these grants for drainage works, one of the conditions was that the work should be completed this year and local authorities were fully aware of that when the schemes were sent up. In any case, the Minister has not the power to commit the Dáil to any expenditure for next year.
Is it not possible for the Parliamentary Secretary or for the Government to make an arrangement, either by legislation or otherwise, which would enable the local authorities to spend next year's revenue during the winter months, so as to enable their employees to be put to work at drainage in the early summer?
When do farmers drain their land?
Arising out of the Minister for Justice's interruption, might I say that much of this work is not ordinary small drainage work, but work on small rivers and large rivers?
Does the Deputy realise he is making a speech?
Would the Parliamentary Secretary consider the question?
Would the Deputy speak for his own constituency?
I never speak for any other.
I do not think the position is at all as bad as Deputy Cogan would have us believe. As a matter of fact, at the present time—and no one would say this is particularly fine weather for such work—something like 11,000 men are engaged on this work and there have been no complaints.
asked the Minister for Local Government (a) if he will state the amount of money allocated to the Clare County Council for schemes under the Local Authorities (Works) Act, 1949, the amount spent to date, and the reason for the delay in the execution of the schemes; (b) whether he is aware that practically all the road workers in County Clare are now working only two days per week, and (c) whether he approved of the action of the Clare County Council in spending the road maintenance money during the dry weather and leaving the expenditure of money granted under the Local Authorities (Works) Act until the rainy season when streams and rivers are swollen; and, if not, what action he proposes to take in the matter.
(a) Grants totalling £59,966 have been allocated to Clare County Council for schemes under the Local Authorities (Works) Act. Schemes to the value of £36,549 have been begun and £8,048 had been spent up to the 5th instant.
The Department has been informed by the county manager that in his opinion no avoidable delay occurred in the commencement or execution of the schemes.
(b) I understand from the county council that an examination of paysheets for the fortnight ended 5th instant, the latest date for which figures are available, shows that, of 1,050 workers employed on road works, only about 120 were employed during that period for two days a week or less. The latter figure includes a number of casual carters.
(c) The timing of schemes under the county council's road works programme and the Local Authorities (Works) Act was left to the local authority in each case. Each local authority adopted the programme they felt best suited to local conditions.
I am asking the local authority for a full report on the progress of the schemes, together with a report as to the practicability of transferring moneys from any schemes which may not now be feasible to suitable alternatives.