asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will indicate the exact nature of the measures which the Government propose to take to implement the unanimous decision of Dáil Éireann concerning the necessity to take immediate steps to (a) increase industrial and commercial employment; (b) expand the public works programme; and (c) increase existing rates of unemployment insurance and unemployment assistance benefits pending the enactment of legislation to provide for improved social security, and if he will state the date upon which it is proposed to take each of the foregoing steps.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Implementation of Dáil Motion.
asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if, in view of his assurance on the 14th February last to the effect that the Government were accepting a motion put down in the names of two Labour Deputies, he will state what steps the Government propose to take to implement their decision.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Question Nos. 11 and 12 together.
I would refer the Deputies to my statement in the Dáil on the 14th February, 1952, and, in particular, the portion thereof reported at column 691, Volume 129, in which I explained the Government's attitude towards the motion which was moved by Deputies Norton and Larkin.
I clearly understand all the reservations which the Minister may have made in the course of his speech, but the Dáil passed unanimously a resolution asking the Government to take certain steps. Surely the Minister ought to be in a position to inform the Dáil what steps he is now taking to implement the unanimous decision of the Dáil?
What I stated was as follows:—
"If there are certain implications in the motion that we may not like, we do not mind if it is adopted by the Dáil. I have stated the Government's position here. I do not think that I have left any room for any misunderstanding about it. I would not like to see the motion rejected by the Dáil because I think it would lead to a misunderstanding amongst unemployed workers as to the attitude of the nation's Parliament to their situation."
We should like to know from the Minister how he regards the last portion of the question. The Minister is aware that before the motion was put to the House, the mover of the motion made it quite clear on what basis its acceptance would be understood. The Tánaiste was not present at the time but the Minister for Education was.
I have no responsibility for what anybody said.
The motion was put to the House on a certain understanding. Are we now to understand that it was a cheap political trick to accept the motion without taking any responsibility to give effect to it?
I have stated quite clearly the Government's attitude in respect of each part of the motion and the reason why we decided not to vote against it.
It was just a pious resolution.
Arising out of the reply, I respectfully say that we are not interested in any reservations which the Minister may have had. The question I have asked the Minister is what steps he is taking to implement the unanimous decision of the House directing him to take certain active measures to deal with unemployment.
The action which the Government is going to take was stated on that occasion in the Dáil.
Question 13.
I should like to pursue this matter further.
If everybody were to pursue it to the same extent, we should never get to a termination.