Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Jun 1956

Vol. 158 No. 1

Committee on Finance. - Vote 49—Gaeltacht Services.

Minister for Lands (Mr. Blowick)

I move:—

That a sum not exceeding £213,160 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1957, for Salaries and Expenses in connection with Gaeltacht Services, including Housing Grants.

The current year's Estimate shows an increase of £48,010 net over the total provision for last year. The total additional amount, however, being provided for Gaeltacht Services is £83,830 —the difference being made up by an estimated increase of £35,820 in the receipts from the rural and marine industries.

The gross additional provision of £83,830 is made up of the following increases: Salaries, Incidental Expenses and Miscellaneous Services, £16,500; Rural Industries, £16,830; Marine Products Industries, £20,250; Gaeltacht Housing, £30,250.

Notice taken that 20 Deputies were not present; House counted, and 20 Deputies being present,

Mr. Blowick

The increase of £6,100 in the provision for incidental expenses is largely due to arrangements being made to revise completely the accounting methods and accounting machinery used in connection with the rural industries in order to bring them more closely into line with modern practice. The increase of £4,780 for the miscellaneous services envisages the replacement of the present boat which caters for the transport of passengers and mails between Baltimore and Cape Clear Island by a new boat which is estimated to cost about £5,000.

Apart from these matters the activities of the Gaeltacht Services Division to which I shall refer in this statement are the rural industries, the marine products industries and the administration of the Gaeltacht Housing Acts.

Of sub-heads D (1) to D (8) which cater for the rural industries, only sub-head D (1), Machinery and Maintenance, shows a decrease in comparison with last year's provision. This is not due to any anticipated fall in production, but to the fact that requirements for new machinery for the tweed industry have been met to a large extent in previous years. The increased provision for the purchase of manufacturing materials as well as the increased provision for packing materials shows that more production is expected this year; this is borne out also by the greater provision for workers' wages, namely £137,500 as against last year's provision of £131,300. Increased production is reflected also in the estimated total of receipts from the sales of products of the rural industries—a total which shows an increase of almost £20,000 over last year's estimate.

Part III of the Estimate shows under sub-heads D (1) to D (8) the provision being made for the individual industries. The reduction in the provision for machinery is due almost entirely to the fact that last year we purchased some heavy machinery for the tweed industry and had it installed in the Kilcar mill where in fact some structural alterations had to be made to make room for the new machines. More than half of the provision being made for this year is for maintenance of existing machinery and for the provision of new looms. The provision for the tweed industry under the other sub-heads shows an increase in every case. This industry continues to show progress both in production and in sales and also in the number of employees. The number of workers employed in the industry has shown a steady increase over the last five years —rising from 125 in 1951-52 to 238 during last year, not including technicians; during the same period the wages paid to these workers rose from £22,300 to £55,690 and the sales of the tweeds rose from £107,800 to £250,600.

The provision for the knitwear industry shows a general increase under all headings except fuel. The provision of new machines, the introduction of new designs and a revision of packaging technique as well as the opening of one new knitwear centre are amongst the objectives for the current year.

Revision is being made in some processes of manufacture in the toy industry—because of changes in the types of toys in public demand. New manufacturing plant is being provided for, which with the introduction of manufacturing materials different from those heretofore in use should lead to a reduction in outgoings.

The provision for the marine products industries shows an increase of £20,250 in proposed expenditure and an increase of £21,550 in the amount estimated as receipts — these latter are dealt with under sub-head H (2). These increases reflect the larger quantities of sea-rods, seaweed and carrageen now being purchased, and the higher price offered. The present price for sea-rods is the highest ever offered and it is hoped that the collection of this material will be developed even more in the future.

The provision for Gaeltacht housing shows an increase over last year of £30,000 in the sum required for housing grants. Deputies will recall that in March last I asked for a Supplementary Vote of £20,000 to meet the increased expenditure on housing grants. The additional £20,000 brought last year's total provision for grants to £100,000 and of this total only £72 remained unexpended at the end of the year.

Housing activities have shown a continued increase since 1953 when the last amending Act was passed. The number of new houses completed during the year which ended on the 31st of March last was 200, the number of houses improved was 251 and extensions to seven houses for the accommodation of visitors were completed. At the end of the year 691 new houses were in course of erection, improvements were being carried out on 573 houses and extensions for the accommodation of visitors were being built in 29 cases. In addition, 52 households utilised the new sanitation grant provided under the 1953 Act, and installed piped water and sewerage during the year while at the end of the year 150 more houses were being provided with the same facilities. In all cases these figures showed increases as compared with the corresponding figures for the preceding year—the total number of houses being erected or improved at the end of the year being 275 more than the total a year earlier.

In all its activities the Gaeltacht Services Division of my Department is showing steady progress. The total number of workers employed in the rural industries has been gaining steadily for the past three years; export of the products of these industries has increased and now amounts to one-third of our total sales. Sales of tweed have more than doubled, and just half of the production is being exported. Sales to dollar markets last year were the highest so far attained. The amount of money being paid to the gatherers of sea-rods and seaweeds is increasing and the amount of money being paid out by way of housing grants is increasing also. I can assure the House that every effort possible is being made to ensure that this progress will be maintained.

Tomás Ó Deirg

Is féidir liom comhgháirdeachas a dhéanamh leis an Aire ós rud é go bhfuil Seirbhísí na Gaeltachta ag éirí comh maith agus atá siad, go bhfuil fostaíocht cainteóirí Gaeilge ag dul i méid agus go bhfuil an obair atá ar siúl ins na monarchain agus sna h-ionaid eile ag dul i méid freisin.

The Minister has stated that there is an increase of £6,100 in the provision for incidental expenses, due to arrangements being made to revise completely the accounting methods and accounting machinery used in connection with the rural industries in order to bring them more closely into line with modern practice. It is not stated whether it is likely to effect any economy or any saving in staff.

I should like the Minister to state the position about the stocks of materials in hands. As far as I can make out, the trading accounts which are placed on the Table of the Dáil—the accounts for the year 1954-55—were placed on the Table of the Dáil only in April. That means that we would not have the trading account for the year which the Minister has just dealt with in his statement for another year. Looking at the figures, it would seem to me that the stocks are very substantial though I think there has been some reduction, as, for example, in connection with the tweed industry. While there is a reduction in the amount of the stocks of material by about £10,000—from £188,000 to £177,000—there would appear to be a large increase in the amount of finished products in hands, amounting to nearly £60,000—say, £88,500 at the end of March, 1954, which seems to have increased to £146,000. That would represent the amount of the increase.

The terminology in these accounts may not always be susceptible of exact interpretation without the Oireachtas Handbook. It would appear that there were about £123,000 worth of stores on 31st March, 1955. I wonder if the Minister would be able to tell the House the normal amount of the total stocks, finished or unfinished, in respect of the different headings— tweed, knitwear and toys—which the establishment carries.

It is satisfactory also that the sales have increased. I should have been glad if the Minister had given us some more figures indicating the amount of production during the coming year. On this Vote, the Dáil is really in the position of examining what should be a commercial account, which is published in Irish and is not therefore easily available to Deputies, and, in default of getting the information from the Minister at this moment, we have to ask the question: what is the total amount of production under the three headings I have mentioned which it is expected will result from the expenditure of the sums which the Minister is seeking in the different sub-heads?

The Minister states that the requirements for new machinery for the tweed industry have been met to a large extent in previous years. Does that mean that, in fact, the £100,000 or so which I mentioned last year as having been envisaged as necessary for the development of Kilcar has largely been met and that all the requirements for machinery and tweeds are either already provided, or will be provided during the coming year? Perhaps the Minister would be good enough to say what is the amount spent last year and proposed to be spent this year in respect of new machinery in that factory.

I notice that the provision for paper and packaging materials has gone up very substantially from about £7,000 in the year before last to nearly £16,000 this year. Perhaps that is inevitable as packaging and proper design and finish of the package material for the market are of the greatest importance. Still, it is a very substantial increase.

The total receipts which the Minister hopes to receive from the rural industries are up by almost £20,000 over last year's Estimate. When I left the Department, it was anticipated that a figure of £500,000 would be reached fairly quickly in respect of the total sales. I think that, in fact, was the position last year. In his statement last year the Minister referred to a total of about £500,000 this year it is £520,000.

Progress reported; Committee to sit again.

The Dáil adjourned at 10.30 p.m until 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 13th June, 1956.