asked the Minister for Finance if he will state in respect of County Dublin the amount allocated for relief schemes for the forthcoming Christmas period.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Dublin Relief Schemes.
Apart from the grant of £5,000 made available this year for the Borough of Dún Laoire and the outstanding balances of previous years' grants amounting to £8,111, making a total of £13,111 for that borough area, the Deputy will be glad to know that it has been found possible to allocate grants totalling £1,950 to the undermentioned towns in County Dublin, viz.: Balbriggan, Ballinteer, Dublin South City Suburbs, Dún Laoire Suburbs, Lucan, Malahide, Shankill and Skerries. These amounts are, of course, distinct from the £5,000 allocated on the 24th November, 1956, to County Dublin from the recent Local Authorities (Works) Act allocation of £200,000.
Would the Parliatary Secretary repeat the figure for the amount recently allocated?
£200,000.
No—the amount of the most recent allocation.
A Deputy
He is ashamed of it.
£200,000. What would I be ashamed of?
Major de Valera
Would the Parliamentary Secretary re-read his answer?
Will I spell it for them, a Cheann Comhairle?
Mr. de Valera
Am I right in saying that it was £1,000 odd?
I shall read it again.
It would not even buy turkeys at present prices.
Apart from the grant of £5,000 made available this year for the Borough of Dún Laoire and the outstanding balances of previous years' grants amounting to £8,111, making a total of £13,111 for that borough area, the Deputy will be glad to know that it has been found possible to allocate grants totalling £1,950——
How much?
——to the undermentioned towns in County Dublin, viz.—Balbriggan, Ballinteer, Dublin South City Suburbs, Dún Laoire Suburbs, Lucan, Malahide, Shankill and Skerries.
A little goes a long way.
If the Deputy does not want to listen, I shall ask Deputy Burke, who is used to being in charge of individuals, to take charge of him. These amounts are, of course, distinct from the £5,000 allocated on the 24th November, 1956, to County Dublin from the recent Local Authorities (Works) Act allocation of £200,000. I hope Deputies have it now.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary satisfied that an allocation of £1,800 for Christmas relief work in County Dublin, where there are hundreds of people unemployed at the present time, is a reasonable allocation?
How much used the Party opposite give?
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that I asked only one specific question? I am tired of listening to other things being drawn across. He has mixed up other grants with funds ordinarily allocated for local authority schemes. I asked a specific question to which I wanted a reply and the Parliamentary Secretary has failed to give it to me. He is giving the unemployed people in Dublin about 1/- each for Christmas relief work.
The Deputy is not asking a supplementary question.
Could the Chair tell me what the supplementary question is? I do not know.
The supplementary question is very simple.
What is it?
£1,800 for 1,800 unemployed.
£13,000 and something.