asked the Minister for Finance whether he is aware that there is grave discontent amongst the unemployed in County Dublin over the totally inadequate Christmas relief grants; and, if so, whether he will consider increasing the grants.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Dublin Relief Grants.
I am not aware of any exceptional unemployment in County Dublin, and provision has already been made under the current winter programme of unemployment relief schemes for the few areas in which there are sufficient numbers of registered unemployment assistance recipients to form gangs of economic dimensions.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the county engineer considers that there were not a sufficient number of unemployed men in the county to implement a Christmas relief scheme?
That is so.
asked the Minister for Finance whether he is aware that there are 107 men registered in Balbriggan unemployment exchange; and, if so, whether he will provide a grant for minor employment relief schemes in the area.
Of the 107 unemployed persons registered at Balbriggan employment exchange on 26th November last 23 were women, 31 were men in receipt of unemployment assistance, and 53 were men in receipt of unemployment benefit. Unskilled work on relief schemes is confined to men in receipt of unemployment assistance, and of this class there were only 14 in Balbriggan town on the date referred to, the remainder being spread over a wide surrounding area. A grant for an employment scheme has been authorised for Balbriggan town, subject to the submission by the county council of a suitable work.
So far as I am aware, in none of the other electoral divisions in the district is there a sufficient number of unemployment assistance recipients to form a gang of economic size.
Congratulations to Deputy Burke. He got his grant.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that only 71 persons were registered as unemployed on the date on which Deputy Burke raised this matter in the House, and is he further aware that——
That is not a supplementary question.
That is an attack on Deputy Burke.
Of course the 71 unemployed do not matter.
The Minister for Justice.
Is the Minister further aware——
Question No. 38. The Minister for Justice.