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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 15 Nov 1956

Vol. 160 No. 8

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Winter Relief Scheme.

asked the Minister for Finance whether, in view of the fact that there are 15,258 more unemployed now than at the same period last year, he intends to restore the cuts made in allocations from the winter relief scheme, and if not, if he will state why.

The Government have decided to restrict the savings which were being effected, under their directions, to deal with the adverse balance of external payments, so as to enable an additional sum to be allocated in the remainder of this year for expenditure on works of a productive character. The effect of this decision will be to alleviate unemployment during the coming months. The details of the financial and administrative arrangements to give effect to the Government decision have not yet been settled and, consequently, I am not in a position now to answer the specific point raised by the Deputy relative to the Vote for Employment and Emergency Schemes.

Would the Minister state if he and the Government will have arrived at a decision about the allocation of this money before Christmas?

The Minister and the Government will arrive at a decision very speedily in relation to this, as in other matters.

Is the Minister aware that at the present time in many local authority areas road workers are now on alternate employment, that is, they are employed every second week, whereas this time last year workers in some other schemes were enabled to be kept in constant employment until at least the Christmas period was over? Would the Minister do his utmost to ensure that employment will be given at least until the Christmas period has elapsed so that these breadwinners will be in a position to ensure that over the Christmas period their families will not be in want?

The allocations that have been made by the Government will be spent, so far as possible, on productive work and as speedily as possible.

According to this question—and it is quite true—there are 15,000 extra unemployed people and is not it a fact that, in order to meet that 15,000 extra unemployed, more money must be spent on nonproductive work to pay these men in idleness? Is it not more important to put these men to work on schemes already submitted by local authorities rather than to have to pay them unemployment assistance?

Is not it a fact that, so far as the present situation is concerned, the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste are much more responsible for it than the Minister for Finance?

Apart from the interjection by Deputy MacEntee, I do not think that question and answer here is the right way to discuss the full implications of an external imbalance.

Will the Minister be in a position to make a statement to the House in the near future?

You vote for them; you support them. Bear your burden.

In the near future.

The public support us.

The Parliamentary Secretary should not try to get out now.

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