asked the Minister for the Environment the number of jobs lost as a result of the cut in finance to local authorities for special employment schemes this year, and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Improvement Schemes Programme.
19.
I assume that the question relates to the environmental improvement schemes programme. This programme since its inception in 1977 has always operated on a year to year basis and was not intended for the provision of permanent employment. It is misleading to speak of jobs lost when these jobs are of a temporary nature dependent on suitable schemes and the requisite finance being available.
The amount provided in the Vote for my Department in 1979 for the programme was £4.28 million and this was increased to £4.43 million later in the year. The amount originally provided under the programme for the current year was £3.2 million—£1.5 million coming from the Vote for my Department and £1.7 million from the Employment Guarantee Fund. Recently a further £600,000 has been allocated to Dublin Corporation from the Employment Guarantee Fund and an additional £50,000 has been allocated to them from the Inner City Fund. The total allocations for schemes this year is, therefore, £3.85 million. Information as to the overall amount of employment expected to be provided under the programme this year is not yet available from local authorities but it is evident that there will be some reduction on last year.
With regard to the allocation to Dublin Corporation, I may say that of the £3.2 million originally available to me for allocation this year the sum of £680,000 was allocated to that body. This together with the special allocations from the Employment Guarantee Fund and the Inner City Fund now being made provides a total of £1.33 million under the programme in 1980 for the corporation, an increase of £52,000 on the previous year's allocation.
Would the Minister indicate when the extra £600,000 was made available from the Employment Guarantee Fund?
Recently, since the Deputy's question was put down. I shall see if I have the date.
Is it going to ensure that the 200 who were to be laid off would not be laid off as a consequence?
I cannot answer that question as to whether it will guarantee employment. A further £52,000 was made available from the Inner City Fund to be utilised for people living in the inner city, but particular projects may not be within the inner city. They do not have to be, but it is to continue to employ those people.
The Minister referred to the nature of this work as temporary. Having seen and no doubt been made aware of the detailed reports that the Community and Environment Department have made available to his Department, would he consider that Dublin Corporation had assembled a team of very good workers who were doing essential work around the city in terms of tourism and so on? I know that he is under budget restraints, but would he consider putting this scheme for the capital city at least on a more permanent basis so that the communication of budgetary information would be less haphazard than it has been in the past?
I agree with the Deputy with regard to the quality and importance and how worthwhile these schemes are. At the present figures which I have given to the Deputy the total allocation is £52,000 more than last year which by comparison with other local authority areas is a generous sum in this year. To answer the other part of the question——
We have been unduly long on this. I am calling Question No. 20.
I will come back to this.