asked the Minister for Lands the number of forestry workers employed in (a) January, 1965 and (b) January, 1972.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Forestry Workers.
20.
The average number of forestry workers employed in January, 1965 was 4,803 and in January, 1972, 2,960.
What was the reason for such a drastic reduction in the number of employees? It is almost down 50 per cent.
I understand the main reason in this and every other country in the world is an increase in the use of machinery and there have also been new methods of one kind or another and greater use of herbicides, and so on. All of this has been done to try to keep the ultimate price of timber as low as possible and in competition with the rest of the world. This trend is universal. The manpower requirements of forestry have been progressively going down in this as in every other country in the world in the last five to ten years.
In view of the high rate of unemployment we have at present and the number of redundancies, particularly because of the fact that the Minister for Finance told a deputation which came from Cork in connection with this problem that the Minister for Lands and his Department had more money than they could spend last year——
I said "as much as they could spend".
No. I took a note of it. The Minister said: "More than what they could spend." That is exactly what the Minister said. In view of the fact that the Minister for Lands has more money than he can spend would he consider stepping up employment in afforestation?
I would like to say, first of all, that the Minister for Finance could not have said what Deputy Creed thinks he said. I am not suggesting that Deputy Creed is deliberately trying to mislead the House, but I think his recollection must be wrong with regard to this matter.
I was there. The Minister was not.
The situation in any event is that the Minister for Finance gave to the Minister for Lands in the allocation of moneys last October the sum which I considered it would be possible for us to use for the remaining period of 1971-72. I should emphasise that the forestry planting programme is at its full target of 25,000 acres but, as the Deputy will also understand, forestry is not something instant like driving stakes into the ground or digging a hole in the ground. It is something which has to be organised. At that stage of the year we got from the Department of Finance all the money we could use in order either to preserve employment or create further employment during the existing year. That will continue next year at a much higher level of expenditure in order to try to keep the employment in forestry at the highest possible level.
Question No. 21.
Surely the Minister will agree there is scope for increased employment in forestry? He has the land, obviously he has the money and he has the manpower.
Does the Minister know that over 100 people were dismissed between November last and the present day from forestry work? As many as 150 people who were in permanent employment were let go with redundancy payments. This is something which the Minister should look into.
Nobody regrets more than I the fact that due to the financial situation last year the Forestry Estimate had to take a cut which involved laying off some people in remote areas.
Why should this happen when the Minister said he had more money than he could use?
I said that the Minister for Finance would give me all the money that it was possible for me to use between the end of October and the end of the financial year. Forestry is not a thing you can instantly organise for the purpose of creating additional employment.
Men were let go.
We cannot discuss the forestry situation on this question.
The figures prove that.
That allegation was made but it is not so.