Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 10 Nov 1977

Vol. 301 No. 5

Written Answers. - Land Commission Estates.

356.

Mrs. Burke

asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware of reports that local applicants who have between 40-50 adjusted acres of land have been told that they will not qualify for land on Land Commission estates at Rahara, County Roscommon, on the grounds that their existing holdings are too large; if the Land Commission will reconsider their position in this matter in view of the fact that under EEC conditions farmers at this acerage require more land to achieve development status; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

357.

Mr. Leyden

asked the Minister for Agriculture if special consideration will be given to farmers in the vicinity of the Finnerty, Donnely and McDonnell estates, Rahara, County Roscommon, which have been acquired by the Land Commission; if farmers in the vicinity are not being considered for land due to the size of holdings; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Gibbons)

: With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 356 and 357 together.

Current Land Commission policy is aimed at providing family farms of 40 to 45 acres of good land or the equivalent in land of mixed quality. In particular circumstances, however, the Land Commission may consider for allotments farmers with acreages in excess of this standard. The suitability of the standard in present-day conditions is currently being considered as part of the comprehensive review of land policy that is in progress. It should be kept in mind, however, that while increasing the present standard would benefit the owners of medium-sized holdings it would make it more difficult for smaller farmers to acquire the extra land they need.

As a regards the situation in the Rahara area of South Roscommon, the Land Commission have eight properties in their possession there with a total area of 548 acres. The necessary inquiries on the ground, preparatory to framing proposals for allocation, are at present in progress but it will be some time before the final decision on division can be taken. The Commissioners will undoubtedly be giving due consideration to the position of the local applicants to whom the Deputies refer in their questions.

440.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for the Public Service the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977, (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget, and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in the different categories.

Minister for the Public Service (Mr. Colley)

: No special allocations for job creation purposes under the auspices of my Department were made in either the January budget or since the general election.

Since 5th July, 1977, however, my Department have sanctioned the creation of a total of 1,150 posts in various Departments/offices.

441.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for Finance the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977, (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in the different categories.

Minister for Finance (Mr. Colley)

Special allocations for job creation purposes were made to the Office of Public Works and the Industrial Credit Company Limited with the following job-creation consequences:—

(a) Office of Public Works

The number of new jobs created since 5th July is about 170 mainly on building and construction work undertaken by or on behalf of the Office of Public Works. Eighty-six of these jobs were announced by the present Government and the balance arise from the allocation of £2 million made to the Office of Public Works in the January budget job-creation package.

About two-thirds of the new jobs are permanent and the remainder will continue for some years. The approximate overall average cost of each new job is about £80 per week.

(b) Industrial Credit Company Limited

(i) £2 million was allocated to the Industrial Credit Company in the January budget job creation package. Portion of this allocation was made available to Shipping Finance Corporation to finance extra shipbuilding at Verolme Cork Dockyard thereby safeguarding the jobs of the workforce in the yard. The balance was allocated to enable the Industrial Credit Company increase its lending to industry. Since July, loan facilities amounting to £5.8 million were provided to firms in respect of projects which, when completed will, it is expected, create about 1,500 permanent new jobs. The cost per week cannot be quantified at this stage.

(ii) The Dáil does not provide voted funds for the Industrial Credit Company. No additional job creation allocations have, however, been made to the company since 5th July.

442.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for Health the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977 (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget, and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in the different categories.

Minister for Health (Mr. Haughey)

The number of new jobs approved since 5th July, 1977, is 900. In the January budget it was announced that financial provision would be made available later to finance a programme of job creation.

When I came to examine the position, I found that there was an expected under-expenditure of about £1.8 million as against the sum indicated in the budget. This arose from delays in filling posts and other factors. Because of this I was able to authorise the posts referred to above without seeking extra funds.

A supplementary Estimate will, however be introduced shortly to cover, inter alia, the cost of the job creation programmes.

With regard to the likely duration of the jobs, about 300 are of a temporary nature related to maintenance works in hospitals and homes. It is not possible to say precisely how long these jobs will last. A further 50 are related to hospital construction works and their duration will be influenced by the duration of the works on which the personnel are employed. The remainder of the jobs are permanent in character.

As regards the cost of providing each job this includes pay and non-pay elements and it not possible to allocate the latter between different classes with any degree of accuracy. The overall cost per job is about £5,600 per annum or £107 per week.

443.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977 (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget, and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in the different categories.

Minister for Social Welfare (Mr. Haughey)

No moneys specifically for job creation purposes were provided for my Department in the January budget, or voted by the Dáil since the general election.

444.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for Fisheries the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977, (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget, and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in different categories.

Minister for Fisheries (Mr. Lenihan)

A special allocation of £1,100,000 aimed at job creation was provided in this year's budget for initial work on a scheme for the development of Howth harbour. The plans and specifications for the project are at present being drawn up.

445.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for Tourism and Transport the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977, (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget, and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in different categories.

Minister for Tourism and Transport (Mr. Faulkner)

The following special job creation allocations were made in the January budget in respect of bodies under the aegis of my Department:— Cork Harbour Commissioners £1.31 million; CIE £1.10 million; Board Fáilte, £0.25 million.

The information on job creation arising from these allocations since 5th July, 1977, is as follows:—

A total of 58 new jobs were created for the purpose of dredging and drainage work undertaken by the Cork Harbour Commissioners. Twenty-one of these jobs lasted for a period of ten weeks. The remaining 37 jobs are estimated to last a total of 21 weeks. A large proportion of the expenditure is related to the mobilisation of dredging equipment and it would not be possible to apportion the expenditure in a way that would enable a cost per job per week to be indicated.

The allocation for CIE of £1.10 million, which was related to proposals for vehicle building, has not yet been utilised.

Since 5th July, 1977, Bord Fáilte have spent £60,000 out of their allocation. In the process, 125 jobs were created, mainly in the category of unskilled labour. The average duration of each job was 14 weeks at an average weekly cost to the Exchequer of approximately £34.

No additional job creation allocations have been made available to my Department or to the bodies under its aegis since 5th July, 1977.

446.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977, (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget, and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in the different categories.

Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (Mr. Faulkner)

The number of new jobs created in my Department since 5th July under the £2.5 million special allocation provided in this year's budget is 370. These are all permanent jobs apart from 40 which are likely to last for approximately two years. The average cost to the Exchequer is approximately £51 per permanent job and £52 per temporary job. No moneys other than those provided for in the budget have been voted by the Dáil for my Department since the general election.

447.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977, (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget, and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in the different categories.

Minister for Agriculture (Mr. J. Gibbons)

A special allocation for job creation purposes was provided in the January budget for the Farm Modernisation Scheme but no new jobs were created in the Department or in the bodies under its aegis as a result since 5th July, 1977.

448.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977, (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget, and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in the different categories.

Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy (Mr. O'Malley)

(i) The following moneys were allocated in the January budget to assist job creation by agencies under the aegis of my Department:—

Industrial Development Authority— £4 million. This money is being used to accelerate and expand the authority's programme of land acquisition and advance factory construction and thereby accelerate the pace of the industrial development programme. It is not possible to estimate the number of permanent jobs which will be created in the industrial projects which will eventually occupy the factories built by the IDA, or factories built by industrial promoters on land purchased by the IDA. It is estimated however, that the additional factory construction by the IDA will give 510—570 jobs —of varying duration—in the building industry, over an average nine-month construction period.

Shannon Free Airport Development Company Limited—£250,000. This money is being spent on the constrution of advance factories. Again it is not possible to estimate the permanent job creation which will result. There are about 110 persons at present engaged in construction work, rising to about 130 by the end of the year. Nítrigin Éireann Teorants-£8.1 million. An additional allocation of £8.1 millions (non-Exchequer) was made to Nítrigin Éireann Teoranta under the public capital programme. This extra allocation was intended to meet the increased cost to Nítrigin Éireann Teoranta of its development programme at Marino Point, cobh. Employment on construction work at Marino was gradually increased during the year to a peak of 1,250. When the development is completed and production commences-in-1978-permanent employment for 350 people will be available. Bord na Móna-£1.5 million. I am informed by Bord na Móna that arising from the additional allocation of £1.5 million in the January budget, 173 additional people had been employed by 30th September, 1977.

(ii) It is not possible to give a figure for new job creation arising from the moneys voted by the Dáil in respect of the 1977 financial estimates for the IDA and SFADCo, which are the agencies having responsibility for job creation. This is because the numbers of new jobs created in any particular period cannot be attributed to grant expenditures in that period.

449.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for Defence the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977 (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget, and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in the different categories.

Minister for Defence (Mr. Molloy)

No special allocation has been made to my Department for job creation.

450.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for Justice the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977, (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget, and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in the different categories.

Minister for Justice (Mr. G. Collins)

The total number of new posts created in areas under the auspices of my Department, including the Garda and Prisons services, since the 5th July is 916. It will not be possible to fill all of these posts in the current year but the cost for this year of those which are so filed will be paid for out of moneys provided in last January's budget. The posts are permanent and the present cost per week, on average, of providing each post is estimated to be £82, inclusive of overheads. All of the posts fall within category (i) of the question.

451.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977, (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget, and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in the different categories.

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. O'Kennedy)

No new job allocations were created under the auspices of my Department.

452.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for the Environment the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977, (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget, and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in the different categories.

Minister for the Environment (Mr. Barrett)

The January, 1977, budget provided for an expenditure of £2 million on employment incentives for which the Department of the Environment is responsible. Since 5th July last, the Government have announced proposals for additional expenditure from public funds of some £7.8 million in 1977 and £42.5 million in 1978 on job creation measures for which the Department are responsible.

Supplementary Estimates were introduced on 6th July last and a further Supplementary Estimate will be introduced during the present session to meet additional voted expenditure.

The estimated number of additional jobs to be created directly and in— directly by job creation schemes is as follows:—

Service	Job creation measures annouced in January, 1977 budget	Job creation measures announced since July, 5th 1977
Full job creation potential	Number of extra jobs at 30th September, 1977 created since July 5th, 1977	Full job creation potential to end of 1977	Number of extra jobs at 30th September, 1977
Road Works	350	120	750	652
Public Water Supplies and Sewerage Schemes	nil	nil	550	105
Environmental Works	nil	nil	250	54
Local Improvement Schemes	nil	nil	200	55
£1,000 new house grant and increase in SDA loan limits	nil	nil	1,000	not available—see note following

It is not possible in all cases to state precisely the likely duration of these jobs and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in the different categories.

Regarding road works, it is estimated that each additional £1 million that has been provided by the Exchequer this year results in the creation of 100 man-year jobs for road workers and 65 man-year jobs in indirect employment corresponding to approximately £115 per week for each job.

Regarding public water supply and sewerage schemes, the average construction period of the schemes to which the 105 jobs mentioned above relate is 13 months. It is estimated that the average capital cost per week of a job to which the job creation measures relate is £80 for a sewerage scheme and £110 on a water supply scheme.

Regarding environmental works and local improvement schemes. short-term employment is being provided which is expected to terminate next month. Precise estimates of the cost per job are not available.

Regarding the introduction of the £1,000 new house grant and the increase in the SDA loan limits, separate figures for employment on private housing are not available. It is estimated that these measures will result in an additional 1,000 jobs in 1977 and 2,500 jobs in a full year.

The cost figures represent the estimated total expenditure involved which is financed initially by the Exchequer and is mainly of a capital nature. Part of the current cost is met by local authorities, for example public water supply schemes and by individuals, for example SDA loans.

453.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for Labour the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977, (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in the different categories.

Minister for Labour (Mr. G. Fitzgerald)

In the January, 1977 budget funds were allocated for the Employment Incentive Scheme, the Youth Employment Scheme, the Community Youth Training Programme and for capital expenditure by AnCO.

In the period since 5th July, 1977 to 4th November, 1977 a total of 1,567 new jobs were created under the Employment Incentive Scheme. In the same period applications for premiums under the Apprentice Re-employment Premium Scheme for Youth Employment were received in respect of 15 apprentices.

Premiums of £20 per week and £14 per week, depending on the category of eligible employee, are payable for 24 weeks under the Employment Incentive Scheme.

The Apprentice Re-employment Premium Scheme provides for the payment of premiums of £14 per week for 24 weeks for first and second year apprentices and £20 per week for 24 weeks for others.

There is no information available to my Department to indicate the length of time premium-attracting employees under the aforementioned schemes are retained in employment after the cessation of the payment of the premiums.

The Community Youth Employment Scheme is operated by AnCO. Since 5th July, 1977, 47 schemes were brought into operation giving employment to a total of 316 persons; this includes 47 craftsmen, 82 apprentices and 187 trainees—school leavers. The craftsmen are paid an allowance, equivalent to the normal net take-home pay payable in industry. The apprentices are paid an allowance equivalent to the week wage appropriate to their year of apprenticeship. The school leavers, that is, trainees are paid the normal training allowances in operation for trainees in AnCO training centres. It is not possible from the available records to indicate what is the weekly cost to the Exchequer for these operations.

The funds for capital expenditure by AnCO were allocated for the construction of training centres in Athlone and Cork. Construction work on the Athlone centre commenced in October and approximately 15 workers are employed on the project at the present time. Work has not yet commenced on the Cork centre.

As no moneys were voted by the Dáil for these purposes for my Department since the general election, item (ii) of the Deputy's question does not arise.

454.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for the Gaeltacht the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977, (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget, and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in the different categories.

Minister for the Gaeltacht (Mr. Gallagher)

Níor dáileadh airgead speisialta ar sheirbhísí faoi scáth mo Roinne-se chun poist a chruthú.

455.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for Education the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977, (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget, and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in the different categories.

Minister for Education (Mr. Wilson)

In the matter of teaching posts, the new jobs created out of moneys provided in the January budget were teaching posts warranted by the existing ratios as applied to increased numbers of pupils in the schools. These posts amounted to 1,100 in all, 210 in primary schools and training colleges and 890 in second-level and technical schools, for the service of the school year 1977-78. There will, of course, be additional teaching posts in 1977-78 arising out of the changes made in pupil/teacher ratios since the 5th July, 1977, and the necessary supplementary estimates for this purpose will be introduced in due course.

There was a capital provision of £6 million in the January budget from which it was expected that the new job content would be 450. I am not yet in a position to indicate the actual number of persons employed on these projects.

456.

Mr. Mitchell

asked the Minister for Economic Planning and Development the number of new jobs created under the auspices of his Department since 5th July, 1977, (i) out of moneys provided in the January budget, and (ii) out of moneys voted by the Dáil since the general election; the likely duration of these jobs; and the cost per week to the Exchequer of providing each job in the different categories.

Minister for Economic Planning and Development (Professor O'Donoghue)

No provision was made in the employment creating package announced in the January budget nor were moneys voted by Dáil Éireann since the general election for the creation of jobs in areas for which my Department have executive responsibility.