asked the Minister for Agriculture when it is proposed to extend the parish plan to all parishes in the Republic of Ireland.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Parish Plan.
It is proposed to put the parish plan into operation in the Counties of Longford, Tipperary N.R., Tipperary S.R., and Westmeath about April next. Consideration of the question of extending the plan to the rest of the country must await an intimation from the various committees of agriculture concerned that they are willing to participate in the plan and to loan to my Department, for the purpose, the services of their instructors in agriculture, as requested by me in my letter to the chairmen of the committees on the 14th April, 1949.
Does the Minister's reply indicate that the counties to which this scheme has been extended are the only counties in which the committees of agriculture have approved of the scheme? May I bring to the Minister's notice the fact that the committee of which I am a member have given approval to the scheme, and, so far as I know, there has been no indication of any intention on the Minister's part to extend it to that county?
If the Wicklow County Committee of Agriculture approve this scheme and desire its implementation in Wicklow, I should be glad to hear from them. My recollection is that the Wicklow County Committee of Agriculture gave what they were pleased to call a qualified approval to the scheme, which really was tantamount to saying that they disapproved of my scheme but strongly recommended another scheme. There was no offence meant and no offence taken, but I decline to intrude on any county committee of agriculture unless and until they ask me to do so. If the county committee want the scheme, I shall be glad to hear from them.
I am not a member of the Wicklow County Committee of Agriculture and I am not sure what decision that committee took with regard to this matter, but the committee of which I am a member did give what the Minister describes as qualified approval to the scheme. Does he not recognise that there is a very big and a very dangerous principle involved in this matter? If he is going to extend this scheme only to counties which give their benediction to his policy——
Genuflect before it— put it that way.
——it seems to me that a serious injustice is being done to the taxpayers generally, who——
The Deputy is making a speech.
Surely the Deputy does not suggest that I should go in and brush the county committee aside?
Will the Minister say what type of machinery he has established for the purpose of selecting those who are appointed to administer the parish plan referred to?
Does the Deputy mean parish agents?
I mean the additional officials who are appointed to administer the parish plan.
The Appointments Commission. There was an advertisement in the paper a fortnight or three weeks ago.
Owing to the unsatisfactory nature of the Minister's reply, I give notice that I intend to raise this matter on the adjournment.