asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the number of men engaged in land rehabilitation work by his Department in the Stradbally area of East Waterford at (a) 1st November, 1951; (b) 1st November, 1952, and (c) 1st November, 1953, or at the nearest dates available.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Co. Waterford Land Rehabilitation.
The number of men employed by my Department on landreclamation work in the Stradbally area on the dates mentioned were:
|
1st November, 1951 |
None (Employment in the area commenced on 25th January, 1952.) |
|
1st November, 1952 |
49. |
|
1st November, 1953 |
None. |
A factor that has a bearing on the number employed by my Department and which makes comparisons with former years misleading is that the machinery which was being operated by my Department in the Stradbally area is in process of being sold. Some of the machines have in fact been sold. A large number of the men formerly employed by my Department have secured employment with the purchasing contractors. It is believed that when the sale is completed, the number employed will be almost equal to that employed by my Department.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary say whether the plant that has been working on the side of the road near Stradbally for the past three months is the property of his Department or not?
I think I would want to get notice of that.