asked the Minister for Lands if, in view of the fact that there are at present fewer workers employed in forestry than in former years, that so much productive work remains to be done in forests and that many suitable workers are now unemployed in rural areas, he will have these men immediately employed on this work.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Forest Employment.
22.
I can assure the Deputy that with our present level of staffing we are planting our full programme of 25,000 acres and that no necessary forest operations are being left undone. In the circumstances I cannot hold out any prospect of an appreciable increase in direct forest employment in the near future.
Does the Minister not agree that the men are there and that the work in the forests is there for them and would it not make sense from the national point of view to have them employed in the forests and thus doing productve work?
I do not agree.
(Cavan): Is the Minister aware that a number of forestry workers have been laid off recently in some parts of the country, particularly in County Cavan?
I am not aware of the detailed situation in Cavan. Some were laid off last year, unfortunately.
Could the Minister say whether or not he got any of the £20 million capital moneys that were injected into the economy last OctoberNovember?
I did.
And this did not provide for more employment?
It prevented further redundancies from taking place.
Did the Minister get any part of the £50 million of capital moneys that were to be brought forward for expenditure before the beginning of the financial year?
I got all the money I asked for.
And you are just keeping employment at the same level? There is no improvement?
We are at our full national target of 25,000 acres. We will have to increase the national target about 25,000 acres——
I am talking about men now, not acres.