asked the Minister for Agriculture whether the decision to terminate Section B of the land project involves the dismissal of the six gangs working in Connemara at Renvyle, Ballinkill, Cleggan, Ballyconneely, Clifden and Moycullen; and, if so, whether any plans are being made to provide these men with alternative employment, as they are all married men in poor circumstances.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dismissal of Connemara Land Project Workers.
The termination of Section B of the land project will involve the gradual disengagement of the workers directly employed by my Department under that section. Any opportunity that arises of providing alternative work for them will be availed of.
Without raising the general issue of the prudence of suspending Section B throughout the whole country, does the Minister appreciate the exceptional hardship involved in this area in Connemara by summarily dismissing six teams of men who, by policy, were chosen from the numbers of married men with family responsibilities and who have been enjoying constant employment for some years and in the special circumstances obtaining in that area, will he not consider mitigating in some degree the decision to throw them into unemployment on the very eve of Christmas?
There is no question of their immediate disemployment.
Several of them have been dismissed.
They may have been made aware of the fact that the scheme is terminating but the work in respect of which commitments have been entered into will be completed. A gradual disemployment will take place. In the consideration of any matter of this nature, any Minister and every Government must have regard and should have regard to the employment element in any scheme or in the expenditure of any public money. But, while I accept that fully, I contend that in all cases of this kind where the moneys provided are intended to give the best results from an agricultural point of view, we could not regard this as an employment agency only.
Is the Minister not aware that the Connemara scheme was quite distinct from the land project as regards the rest of the country? It was inaugurated quite independently and was declared by the then Minister for Agriculture, who was myself, to be designed for the particular area in which it was operated. Is the Minister not aware that, under the Connemara scheme, on which these men were working, the contribution was only £1 per acre, marking it out as entirely distinct from the rest of the country and justified by the very special conditions obtaining in this area which justified the Government in making special provision for the farmers and in making provision for employment in an area where it is practically impossible for these men to get employment? Is the Minister aware that a number of these men have already been dismissed, that there is no possibility of alternative employment in these areas and that they will have to emigrate, leaving families behind? In the light of these facts, in regard to the Connemara area at least, while we postpone the discussion on the rest of the country, the Minister should give the matter special consideration as the area is quite distinct from the rest of the country.
I am quite conscious of every aspect of the Connemara scheme. Without, at Question Time, going into the merits one way or another of these matters, I say that Section A is far more applicable and far better designed for an area like Connemara than is Section B. You have in that area a large number of people who, all the year round, are entitled, if unemployed, to receive unemployment assistance. Where they are the owners of any bit of land, they can have a scheme under Section A and secure the advantage of improving the little bit of land and, as well, of earning the fairly generous grant made available to them. Every aspect of this matter has been considered, as far as I am concerned. I have to insist that, in the expenditure of money for a purpose like this, while employment is all right and very desirable, I could not see that any other course would be justified, consistent with giving the best value for the money spent.
Would the Minister consider suspending the dismissals on this scheme until after Christmas?
I am not conversant with the exact date on which any of these works will come to an end but my information is that, in a general way, it will be some months before work is, in fact, completed in the Connemara area.
And that they will not be dismissed this side of Christmas?
I shall not give that assurance. I am saying that the work we have in hand will, according to my information, carry them into the New Year anyway.
"Wives, put your husbands to work." Do you remember that? "Vote Fianna Fáil."
The wives could do many things in many cases I know.