asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is prepared to reconsider his decision in regard to the use of gravel instead of stone for county road improvement schemes in County Roscommon; and if not, whether he has alternative proposals for the employment of workers who are unemployed as a result of his decision.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Roscommon County Road Improvement Schemes.
35.
I have made no decision in favour of the general use of gravel instead of stone for county road improvement schemes in County Roscommon. It is primarily for the county council itself to decide on the material to be used on any particular scheme but, in coming to a decision, they should advert to all the relevant considerations, including the technical and other advice available to them. One of the general considerations already placed before them was the very high percentage (83.4 per cent.) of the Roscommon county roads that have yet to be made dust-free. Another was that the provision of improved county roads is a considerable amenity to the farming community. It has been Government policy for many years to speed up the improvement of county roads and where the use of gravel can yield a striking economy a greatly increased mileage of county roads can be improved under the grant by the use of that material. I am concerned in so far as the cost of any particular scheme is recouped from the Road Fund. I cannot recoup expenditure where the technical advice available to me shows that such expenditure is clearly excessive. The technical advice available both to Roscommon county council and to me shows that that would be so in the case of a number of schemes if they were executed in stone.
I have gone as far as I possibly can to meet the county council by indicating that where the difference in cost is not substantial, I will accept the more expensive method favoured by the council. Where the difference in cost is substantial—and my advice is that in the extreme case it can be the difference between 1/11d. and 6/3d. per square yard—the council are still free to go ahead with the dearer method, provided they are prepared to meet the extra cost involved themselves, the Road Fund meeting the basic cost. I should add that following these principles 10 schemes submitted by Roscommon county council for execution in stone this year have been approved.
The effect on employment of the use of gravel is sometimes exaggerated. While the construction of a certain length of road in gravel may have a lower labour content than the construction of the same length in stone, a much greater length can be done in gravel with the same amount of money, and this offsets to an extent at least the lower labour content. Making allowance for the fact that the grants have been increased to some extent this year, I am still inclined to think that the effects of modernising road work, in keeping with the tendency in every other county, have been exaggerated and unduly criticised in the case of Roscommon. For the first six months of this financial year the average number employed monthly in Roscommon was 649 as against 642 last year.
Is it not a fact that in localities where stone is available in reasonable quantities gravel is now being brought a distance of five or six miles, and as a result a large number of men are losing the limited amount of employment they have been getting in rural Ireland? Does the Minister now suggest that he will give permission to the local authority to go ahead and use stone for making the roads provided that the local authority carries the extra cost? Is that one of the solutions which the Taoiseach now has for his responsibility to give employment, namely to put the onus on the local authority to carry the extra cost?
The Deputy is putting forward an argument not asking a question.
Is it not a fact that the greater proportion of the money being spent in Roscommon in relation to this matter is going on petrol, oil, transport and tyres and that the small farmers and workers are being deprived of their winter work as a result of this decision by the Minister?
The remaining Questions on today's Order Paper will be taken tomorrow.
Is the Minister satisfied that road construction by gravel is the best method? Have any cases been brought to his notice that roads constructed with gravel have broken up within 12 months?
On a point of order, I addressed a question to the Minister for Agriculture on the marketing of cattle in the West Cork area for insertion in today's Order Paper. I now find that on your instructions. Sir, that Question has been deleted. I should like to have your explanation for deleting the Question from the Order Paper.
The explanation has already been given to the Deputy.
The information has not been given already to the Deputy. For your information——
The ruling of the Ceann Comhairle may not—the Deputy will resume his seat——
Your rulings——
——the ruling of the Ceann Comhairle may not be questioned in this fashion. I have ruled and the Deputy may challenge my ruling in a certain fashion but this is not the way.
Will the Minister for Agriculture cease to be responsible for the cattle in this country?