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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 21 Feb 1962

Vol. 193 No. 3

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Cork Rural Improvement Schemes.

37.

asked the Minister for Finance whether, having regard to the recent statement of the Minister for Local Government that there was never more than six months delay in having schemes qualifying for rural improvement scheme grants inspected and reported, he will indicate the dates o which proposals for such schemes, which have not as yet been inspected and reported, have been received by his Department from Cork South West constituency area; and if he will indicate the reasons for the delay in having these proposed schemes inspected and reported.

Information with regard to the dates on which proposals for Rural Improvements Schemes not yet inspected were submitted from the rural districts of Bantry, Castletown, Dunmanway, Skibbereen and Schull and the parts of the rural districts of Bandon. Clonakilty and Macroom included in the Cork South West constituency area is in the form of a tabular statement which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to have circulated in the Official Report. As stated on a number of occasions recently there is a general shortage of engineers in Government Departments and vacancies for 38 appointments, including three for the Special Employment Schemes Office, have been advertised—the applications being due in the Civil Service Commission offices today. When the new appointments have been made it is expected that it will be possible to reduce the arrears of inspections over a period of months.

Following is the statement:

RURAL Improvements Scheme applications awaiting inspection in the Cork South West constituency area.

Application Number

Date

Nature of Work

Bantry R.D.

Ck. 643

9/1/61

Road

1308

20/6/61

,,

1312

21/7/61

,,

1320

9/9/61

,,

1325

2/10/61

,,

1328

25/10/61

,,

Castletown R.D.

1269

12/1/61

Road

1350

1/2/62

,,

Dunmanway R.D.

1262

10/12/60

Bridge

1273

30/1/61

Road

1279

11/2/61

,,

1282

21/2/61

,,

1285

25/2/61

,,

682

21/3/61

,,

1297

25/4/61

Drain

1299

3/5/61

Drain

1306

8/6/61

Road

1314

27/7/61

Drain

1316

11/8/61

Road

792

20/9/61

,,

1321

23/9/61

,,

1327

14/10/61

,,

1341

6/1/62

,,

1355

12/2/62

,,

1359

17/2/62

,,

Skibbereen R.D.

1288

3/3/61

Road

1296

8/5/61

Drain

604

3/5/61

Road

1301

12/5/61

,,

1319

1/9/61

,,

1348

22/1/62

,,

1352

3/2/62

,,

Schull R.D.

1293

17/4/61

Road

310

15/2/62

Drain

Bandon (Part)

Nil

Clonakilty R.D.

1289

7/3/61

Road

1291

30/3/61

,,

1302

15/5/61

,,

1307

20/6/61

,,

Macroom R.D.

1278

21/2/61

Road

1284

23/2/61

,,

1304

19/5/61

Drain

1330

8/11/61

Road

1335

21/12/61

Drain

1347

18/1/62

Road and Drain

Does the Parliamentary Secretary now agree that the statement by the Minister for Local Government in this House on Wednesday evening last is incorrect? I put down this question because of that statement which was completely incorrect. Possibly he does not know what happened.

I do not agree that it is incorrect.

I have it here.

He said that he had never known of any delay such as was mentioned by the Deputy. Generally speaking, the Minister for Local Government was absolutely correct because in twenty-two counties relatively few cases are delayed longer than six months; and the four worst counties, unfortunately, are Cork, Kerry, Leitrim and Cavan.

Do I now assume that applications from West Cork are not dealt with as expeditiously as those from twenty-two other counties? With the permission of the Chair, I would remind the Parliamentary Secretary of what the Minister for Local Government said.

The Deputy may not quote.

The Minister for Local Government said that applications received for Rural Improvement Schemes were inspected within six months of application and that any Deputy who made a statement that there were longer delays was either untruthful or deliberately misrepresenting the position. Is the Parliamentary Secretary satisfied——

The Deputy is making an argument.

I am asking if the Parliamentary Secretary is satisfied that the statement in this House on Wednesday evening last by the Minister for Local Government was incorrect or untruthful. Am I not entitled to ask supplementary questions relevant——

The Deputy has asked two supplementary questions. An argument is not a question and it is not relevant.

I have a good mind to raise the matter on the adjournment.

It is not relevant.

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