asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware of the dissatisfaction at the methods of recruiting labour for the Corrib drainage scheme; that the statement of his Parliamentary Secretary in reply to a question on 25th November, 1954, that recruitment for the scheme is through the local employment exchange would appear incorrect having regard to recent replies to questions given by the Minister for Social Welfare; that it is alleged that applicants have been refused work because they were unable to produce letters from the Parliamentary Secretary, and that these applicants are prepared to furnish evidence to that effect; and if he will now make a further statement on these issues for the information of the House.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Corrib Drainage Scheme—Labour Recruitment.
From inquiries I have made I can state that there is no truth whatever in the suggestion contained in the Deputy's question and accordingly I have no statement to make.
I have made an effort to have this question taken up with the Taoiseach because of the unsatisfactory position that prevails down there. Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that from the figures supplied to me at different stages I find that there were 35 people taken on outside the Galway and Tuam labour exchanges on different dates between the end of October and February. We have in Galway 2,484 people registered as unemployed and 340 insured, and surely 35 out of those would certainly be deserving of employment rather than some of the farmers working on the scheme who have no dependents in the world and who have comfortable farms and valuations of roughly £80.
The only reason those are employed is that they are henchmen of the Parliamentary Secretary and I had hoped I could raise this matter with somebody who would deal with it in an honest manner.