asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware that the introduction of up-to-date machinery on road works has created a grave unemployment situation in County Roscommon; that this has deprived small farmers of what hitherto represented a substantial part of their income; and if in the circumstances he will sympathetically consider providing, through the funds available at his disposal, such alternative schemes as will provide those affected with the employment of which they have now been deprived.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Roscommon Employment Schemes.
54.
The Road Fund grants to county councils for the present year have been allocated and notified in full and there are no funds at my disposal from which supplementary grants can be made available. The grants allocated to the Roscommon County Council show an increase of more than £63,500 as compared with 1959-60.
Grants for the specific purpose of providing employment are dealt with by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance. I am forwarding representations already made to me by the council in this matter to the Parliamentary Secretary for consideration.
Is the Minister aware that all over County Roscommon workers and small farmers for the last two months have been in a desperate situation due to the lack of employment of the type which had been made available for years past to them? While I have no personal objection to the introduction of up-to-date machinery, but rather am in favour of it, may I ask the Minister why it is that, when workers in rural Ireland lose their jobs through the introduction of machinery, no steps are taken by his Department to see that the same treatment is meted out to them as is given to industrial workers in factories who lose their employment as a result of automation?
That is not in the question at all.
I am asking why is it that these men are allowed to be put out of employment without funds being made available to re-employ them in some other way.
There is nothing about machinery in the question.
That is all I want to ask.
If the Deputy asked that, it would have been all right.
It was in the original question also.
Machinery?
Funds.
That is a different matter.
That is what the Deputy is asking about.
And I answered that question.
The Deputy was talking about machinery, introducing machinery into the question. The word was not mentioned before.
With your permission, I propose to raise the subject matter of this Question on the Adjournment.
I will communicate with the Deputy.