asked the Minister for Finance what were the considerations which caused a reduction from £15,000 in 1955 to £700 this year in the allocation of grants under the Employment and Emergency Schemes Vote to County Donegal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Donegal Employment Scheme Grants.
The amounts referred to in the Deputy's question do not represent the allocations of grants from the Employment and Emergency Schemes Vote for County Donegal either in 1955-56 or in the current year. Grants are made under five separate sub-heads of the Vote and the total for last year was £84,000. The allocation for the current year under all sub-heads is not yet finally determined, but the amount earmarked to date for County Donegal is £40,530.
The figures mentioned by the Deputy refer to the allocations under sub-head G of the Vote for Rural Employment Schemes carried out by the Donegal County Council, mainly on county roads. This sub-head has always been joined with the Minor Employment Schemes sub-head H to form a combined programme of employment schemes in rural areas, and the figures for the combined allocation for County Donegal under the two sub-heads are:—
|
1955-56 |
£52,417 |
|
1956-57 |
£20,882 |
It has been necessary, for reasons already explained to the Dáil to secure economies in public expenditure in the current year and it is on that account that allocations from this Vote have been reduced in the case of County Donegal, in common with other areas.
I asked the Minister a specific question dealing with a certain fact. He has given me figures for combined schemes. Is that in order?
No, it is not. It is under a separate sub-head in the Estimate.
Deputy MacEntee will now clarify the position, assisted by his assessor.
I have asked if the Minister is in order in giving a reply which is not a reply to my question?
Deputy MacEntee will give the answer to the Deputy.
Deputy MacEntee will clarify the position for him.
A reduction from £50,000 odd to £20,000 represents a withdrawal of labour from the Gaeltacht areas. This is the Vote upon which these people depend largely for their income. Would the Minister for the Gaeltacht not take note?
Could the Parliamentary Secretary say how much of the £700 will be represented in administrative charges, engineering costs and so on and how much of it will be paid in wages? What effect will that have on the unemployment situation, a situation for which this Vote is supposed to cater?
I think that is a very separate question.
It certainly is. It is a six-mark question.