asked the Minister for Finance why the grant from the Emergency and Employment Schemes Vote in respect of the Tipperary urban district was reduced from last year's figure of £1,350 to £550 for the current year, and whether, in view of the high number of unemployed in the district, he will reconsider his decision.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Emergency and Employment Schemes.
As the Dáil has already been informed, the necessity in present financial circumstances for securing economies in public expenditure caused a reduction in the provision for special employment schemes, in common with other services. The grant already allocated for Tipperary urban district represents the full amount at present available for the area. As stated in the reply to a question addressed to me by Deputy O'Malley to-day, I cannot yet indicate whether any of the money which the Government have decided should be provided for works of a productive character during the remainder of the financial year will affect the present allocation from the Vote for Employment and Emergency Schemes.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary say if their latest policy is to exterminate the unemployed workers from Tipperary town?
No such thing, but it was your policy for many years.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state (a) the amount allocated to the Donegal County Council under sub-head G of the Employment and Emergency Schemes Vote in each of the years 1955-56 and 1956-57, and (b) the estimated amount of the latter sum which will be spent on (i) administrative costs, (ii) materials and (iii) labourers' wages.
The available information is as follows:— (a) 1955-56, £15,500; 1956-57, £700. (b) As the 1956-57 schemes have not yet been submitted by the Donegal County Council it is not possible to give the requested analysis of costs. There will, however, be no administrative charge as these services will be provided by the normal county council staffs.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary give some reason and, if possible, a fairly good reason, for the reduction in this grant from £15,000 last year to £700 this year and will be consider whether it is worth while seeking to relieve unemployment by issuing £700 to Donegal County Council?
Donegal cannot be an exception in relation to any other part of the country.
Why not give it all to some one county?