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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 20 Nov 1968

Vol. 237 No. 5

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Special Employment Schemes.

40.

asked the Minister for Local Government (a) the amount of money allocated for special employment schemes to Counties Meath, Cavan, Monaghan, Westmeath and Kildare for the 1968-69 financial year, (b) the amount spent to date by each county, and (c) whether he is aware of considerable unemployment among road workers in some of these counties.

The grants allocated in the present financial year to the counties referred to in the question under the local improvements scheme, the rural employment scheme and the urban employment scheme are as follows:—

Meath

£7,450

Cavan

£31,900

Monaghan

£9,700

Westmeath

£10,250

Kildare

£11,400

I am informed that so far no moneys have been spent from those grants. I should say that these sums include grants for urban and rural employment schemes which are not to be undertaken before November.

With regard to the final part of the question, I am not so aware.

Is the Minister not aware, or has his colleague in Cavan not brought to his notice, that there is considerable unemployment amongst road workers in Cavan? Would the Minister inquire from the county council if they would now consider spending some of this money and, as well as doing a good job, help to provide employment?

The council are under pressure from my Department to get these works under way.

The Minister must not be getting very much consideration for the pressure he is putting on. Unemployment is getting worse there.

The money is available. It is a matter for the local authority to carry out the work.

(Cavan): Will the Minister agree that his reply to the effect that not one penny of this money has been spent in any of the counties mentioned in the Deputy's question appears to indicate that there is a complete breakdown somewhere between the Minister and these counties and is the Minister aware that as far as the people of County Cavan are concerned they are extremely anxious to get this scheme under way and that the reply that they get from the county council is that they cannot proceed with the scheme because the Minister for Local Government will not sanction their application for the necessary machinery to get ahead?

That is not so.

(Cavan): It is a fact.

I am anxious to get this work under way, also.

(Cavan): I can only ask the Minister to straighten this thing out in so far as County Cavan is concerned between himself and the county manager because the county manager says that he is quite prepared and anxious to get on with the schemes if the Minister will sanction his proposal for proceeding with them.

Would the Minister consider allocating the money to the counties that will spend it?

That is something that will have to be considered.

(Cavan): If you do not get on with this, no amount of putting a bit of one county in with another will save you. Get on with the work.

Sin ceist eile.

Will the Minister make an effort to get the row, if there is a row, between the Minister and County Cavan settled so that these men are not made the pawns in this game?

I and my Department are making every effort to get this money spent.

(Cavan): That is simply not so.

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