asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in view of the present unsatisfactory position regarding the employment of sightless industrial workers at the Richmond National Institution for the Blind, O'Connell Street, and at St. Joseph's Home and School for the Blind, Grace Park Road, Drumcondra, and of the apparent difficulties of maintaining such employ ment, he will indicate what steps he proposes to take, or has taken, in an effort to rectify the position.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sightless Industrial Workers.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if, in view of the difficult situation which exists in regard to the sightless industrial workers employed at the Richmond National Institution for the Blind and at St. Joseph's Institution for the Blind, Drumcondra, he will state what steps he proposes to take to remedy the position.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he proposes to introduce legislation to provide for the establishment of the proposed central workshop for male and female sightless workers, and if so, when.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 51, 52 and 53 together.
As the Deputies are aware, the primary responsibility for the welfare of the blind workers employed in the two institutions rests on the councils of the county boroughs and county councils in accordance with the provisions of the Blind Persons Act, 1920.
Following the series of conferences held in my Department with representatives of the National League of the Blind, the two Institutions mentioned and of Dublin Corporation (including the Lord Mayor), consideration is being given to the establishment, with the co-operation of all the local authorities concerned, of a new workshop to which all these authorities would contribute on a proportionate basis. It is contemplated that the workshop should be administered by a board on which the local authorities would have representation and that fresh legislation will not be necessary.
Will the Minister bear in mind that the position in regard to these institutions is now extremely urgent and will he take steps to see that the situation is dealt with as rapidly as possible?
It is because I knew the situation was urgent and that the Richmond Institution was being sold that I had convened these conferences with a view to seeing what could be done. As I said in my original reply, the primary responsibility for the welfare of the blind does not rest with me but I acted as a co-ordinator, so to speak, in an effort to get these bodies to come together to establish something like a municipal workshop so that these workers who are now in the Richmond Institute and in St. Joseph's and other blind workers would be fully trained and fully employed.
Is the Minister not aware that in the conferences held in his Department the proposals discussed were much wider than just the establishment of a municipal workshop? Is he not aware that he has not yet given any indication as to whether the whole comprehensive problem is to be tackled in the manner suggested and agreed by all those representatives at the conferences?
With all due respect to the Lord Mayor and the other members of the Corporation, the Minister for Social Welfare has paid a little more attention to it than they have in the last few years.
Is the Minister serious when he says that? Is he not aware that representations have been made to his Department ever since he took up office requesting that something be done and that, if it were not for the fact that both institutions were on the verge of closing down, representations would not even have been received?
I do not agree with one word the Lord Mayor has said. He knows how long the Dublin Corporation sat on this problem. He knows that I took the initiative in the last two years to try and get something done in respect of the Richmond Institution.
Is the Minister trying to confuse the position?
Ask the National League of the Blind.