I do not think there is anything else I want to say on the matter of drainage. The figure of expenditure last year on drainage was, in round figures, three quarters of a million pounds—£776,202 to be exact. That is not bad going and it represents a considerable increase which has been sanctioned by the present Minister for Finance. Even were he prepared to increase it to a much bigger figure, I am afraid we would have had to decline it because our staff and organisation would not be able to deal with it. So far as the Department of Finance is concerned, we in the Office of Public Works have no complaint to make in regard to the financing of drainage.
Deputy Corish wants to know whether the Ballyteige and Kilmore scheme is a relief scheme and whether it is not possible to take on workers from any part of the country. The standard practice in regard to recruitment on these arterial drainage schemes is that the resident engineer goes to the local exchange and asks for the list of those who are registered. Those who are in receipt of the largest amounts of unemployment assistance get preference, that is, provided that they are fit for the class of work which arterial drainage involves. A man may, of course, get employment where he has some special skill which is necessary and which is not available from the exchange list. There is a little latitude in that respect, and if there were not, the work could not go on satisfactorily.
There were a number of other matters mentioned in relation to arterial drainage, but it is hardly necessary for me to take them one by one. Having given the general position with regard to it I think each Deputy who has a problem can apply what I have said to his own area. I would ask each Deputy who has a bad problem to try to put himself in my position, where I have 60 of these arterial drainage areas to deal with, and try to re-shuffle them and see what a very difficult position he would find himself in.
There was one point in regard to schools to which I did not refer. There was a complaint by two or three Deputies in regard to the monotonous appearance or the sameness of all these very fine schools which are now being put up. Well, even fine appearances or beauty can become monotonous, I suppose. Everybody who spoke said that the schools were very fine productions but there is one thing which cannot be ignored, that is, when the school section of the Office of Public Works is working to a standard set of plans, they are able to do the work much more quickly and with an arrears of 750 new schools to be built, it is obvious that everything you can do to speed up the rate of progress is desirable. If we are to start having a much wider variety of design, such an innovation would take from expedition and output and whether it is wise to attempt that at this stage, when there is such a clamour for a larger output of schools, is something that would need very careful consideration.
In referring to output, it is usual to refer to two categories, that is, to new schools and to large scale improvements. These improvements often involve extensions and I am informed by the Commissioners of Public Works that the carrying out of these improvements and extensions is a much slower job than the building of a new school. I think they said that the preparation of the work for extension and improvement takes about four times the amount of time that preparing the plans for a new school involves. Therefore these reconstructed schools very often have almost as much work put into them as a new building. In fact, when they are completed, the difference between them and a new school is hardly noticeable, even to people in the building trade.
Deputy Haughey mentioned a particular difficulty and one about which I am not able to give him any very definite information. It is the suggested locating of new Dublin municipal council buildings in the Castle. That involves a much wider decision and I do not think that the making of that decision is within the competence of the Commissioners of Public Works. A very comprehensive survey of the Dublin position will have to be made and I take it that there will be consultation and co-operation between the Commissioners of Public Works, Dublin Corporation and any other authority concerned. I am afraid that I am not able to help the Deputy at this stage and I am sure he will understand why.
I had the greatest sympathy with what Deputy Davern had to say about the Rock of Cashel but it was news to me that my predecessor had decided that a flagstaff would be erected but that some evil influence has prevented the National Flag from being flown on it. I am not aware of the decision about the flagstaff or of the evil influence to which he referred. However, I assure him that I shall have the matter examined and I want to tell him that I have the fullest sympathy with his sentiments in the matter and that whatever I can do to secure his wishes in the matter, I shall be only too glad to do.
The Chair has repeatedly had to point out to Deputies that matters like the accommodation to be provided in school buildings is not a matter for decision by the Office of Public Works but by the Minister for Education. We are merely the agents who carry out the decisions already arrived at between the managers and the Department of Education.
I do not know whether I ought mention it at this stage, but there are two categories into which the building of primary schools might be put. One section of it is done directly by the Office of Public Works. The other category is done by the school managers under, of course, certain supervisions on the part of this Office. Those in the second category would be largely religious orders. Their schools, of course, are on the average far larger than the ordinary rural primary school. I asked for some information on the matter and I was told that, on the average, the grant given by the Department of Education for one of these primary schools built by a religious order would be of the order of £60,000 and that for the improvement of such a school would be of the order of £25,000. That compares with an average figure of something over £8,000 for the national school built directly by the Office of Public Works, and a figure of something over £4,000 for an improvement carried out by the Office of Public Works. So that, although you have only a small number in the second category, they usually eat up as much money as the total expenditure by the Office itself directly. Whether that particular section of school building might not be capable of some special treatment is not easy to say at the moment, but I have asked the Commissioners to examine the matter to see if by some different treatment greater expedition of output could not be achieved.
I do not think I have ignored the remarks of anybody who has spoken. I have tried to be as fair as possible to everybody. The last Deputy who spoke was an Teachta Mac Seoin. He mentioned schools but I think his remarks were on much the same lines as others who spoke. He also referred to the question of playing fields. Again, I want to say that it is not for us to decide what kind of accommodation will be provided. The Department of Education do that. If they direct that a certain type of school with certain amenities be provided, it is the job of the Board of Works to carry out the work.
The Maigue has not yet been started. It is not possible to say exactly when the survey work on the Deale will be completed, but I understand that the field work has made considerable progress. Of course, that is not the end of the job. When the field work is done, the results have to be taken into the office and the plotting and the design prepared. I can assure the Deputy that it will get the best possible attention.
With regard to the disposal of spoil, this is a matter of some consequence because as we go ahead with the work there will be more and more of these spoil heaps around the country. I know that people have been writing letters to the newspapers objecting to their appearance, but there is nothing we can do about it within the financial limits. If we were to undertake to spread this spoil on the level, it would take up too much time and too much money, and we feel we ought to direct our efforts, our money and our skill to the main task of draining the land. Very often the spoil thrown up is suitable for top-dressing and farmers will take it away. Even where it is not possible to have it taken by local people, the engineers in charge of these drainage schemes see to it that the banks they make are trimmed nicely. In time the vegetation comes on them, they merge with the surrounding countryside and are not the eyesores for all time people make them out to be now. In any event, it is quite impossible to undertake the spreading of them, as has been suggested. I am afraid we will only have to put up with it. In certain places like towns and cities, where you have building operations, preparation of sites for various things and so on, the spoil is availed of as filling-up material. In fact, in some places there is a clamour for it; but in remote places you have not got that demand for it and there is nothing we can do about it.
I was asked about fishery harbours. Of course, I cannot give any definite information on fishery harbours because it is a matter for the Minister for Lands. I am sure the House is aware that he has been very active in the matter. In fact, he has detached a number of our staff to collaborate with an F.A.O. expert who has been examining a number of our harbours with a view to development. That survey has been going on for some time and I think it will not be very long until a report will be available. Of course, that report does not come to me; it goes to the Minister for Lands. I take it that the Minister for Lands will make that information available to the House at the earliest possible moment.
I see a reference here to the Lion's Tower, Galway. It was mentioned by Deputy Coogan. I am a representative of Galway myself and what I shall say now may possibly be unwise because I shall have to answer for it locally, but I do think something more might have been done locally to clean up the place. The walls are there but it is not obvious what can be done about them, even by the Office of Public Works. I believe that the National Monuments Committee did take them over for a period because it was represented to them that there was a danger that the tower was to be demolished. In any event, their taking over for a period prevented the demolition, but the National Monuments Committee does not regard the Lion's Tower in Galway as being of sufficient national importance to be permanently under their care and, for that reason, they advised the Commissioners to revoke the order which they previously made and the Commissioners did revoke the order on the committee's advice. That is how the position stands. I know there is an archaeological society in Galway, that there are many very active bodies, that Deputy Coogan is a member of some of them and, between all of them, it ought to be possible to ensure that the Lion's Tower in Galway is made presentable for the tourists this summer and that will give the National Monuments Committee a little more time to consider the representations that have been made here today about it.
Tá mé ag ceapadh, a Cheann Chomhairle, nach bhfuil a thuille le rá agam agus ní dóigh liom gur fhág mé aon duine as an chúntas. Má fhág, tá aithmhéal orm agus beidh mé ag léigheamh cúntas na díospóireachta ar ball agus má fheicim gur fhág mé aon duine amach, scríobhfaidh mé chuige agus tabharfaí mé freagra ar a chuid cainnte.