asked the Minister for Finance if he will arrange a relief scheme for Mountmellick to help the local unemployed for Christmas.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Relief Schemes—Offaly and Laois.
It is proposed to make a grant available to provide employment for men in Mountmellick who are in receipt of unemployment assistance.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary undertake to communicate that decision to the Laois County Council this afternoon as in the town of Mountmellick there are over 200 unemployed who were waiting outside the county engineer's office this morning for instructions with regard to work?
Do we take it that this accommodation will be extended to other areas where there is an unemployment problem at present?
It all depends on the number unemployed.
Could we have these facilities made available to other parts of the country?
I am answering the supplementary question of the Deputy who put down the question. The numbers of unemployment assistance recipients in Mountmellick town and the electoral division in January, 1950, 1951 and 1952 are as follows: ten in 1950; eight in 1951; and seven in 1952.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state (1) what money he has made available to relieve unemployment for Christmas in Edenderry, Portarlington, Ferbane, Birr, Tullamore, Roscrea, Portlaoighise, Mountrath and Rathdowney; (2) what schemes are to be carried out there; (3) if qualifications are required to take part in relief schemes apart from that of being registered as unemployed, and (4) if in the case of Tullamore he has received an application from the urban district council for increased grants to provide work.
The only areas referred to by the Deputy which qualify for employment grants in the current winter's programme are Edenderry, Portlaoighise, Tullamore and Birr. The amounts available and the schemes to be carried out in these areas are as follows:—
|
Area |
State Grant |
Local Contribution |
Total |
Nature of Work |
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
||
|
Edenderry |
250 |
90 |
340 |
Relay pathway in concrete in Tunnel Road. |
|
Portlaoighise |
250 |
90 |
340 |
Lay concrete footpath between O'Moore Place and Coote Street. |
|
Tullamore Urban |
200 |
35 |
235 |
Relay paths in concrete in Harbour Street and Park Avenue. |
|
Birr Urban |
450 |
80 |
530 |
Concrete footpaths at Pound Street.Additions to ball alley. |
The number of unemployment assistance recipients in the other areas, viz., Portarlington, Ferbane, Roscrea, Mountrath and Rathdowney is not sufficient to warrant a grant for the relief of unemployment. Only workers who, in the opinion of the county engineer, are fully capable and suitable for the work in hands are to be employed, and for this purpose the county engineer has a free selection of labour from men in receipt of unemployment assistance.
An application for an increased grant was recently received from Tullamore Urban Council, but, as the number of unemployment assistance recipients now in that area is exactly the same as it was in January, 1952, on which the original allocation was based, I regret that I have been unable to accede to it.
In view of the fact that quite an additional number have registered in the local exchange in Tullamore in the past three days, will the Parliamentary Secretary reconsider the matter?
I have to follow the usual regulations in all matters of this kind?