asked the Minister for Finance the number of weeks it is intended to lay off workers involved in drainage maintenance in each of the following regions, east, south, west, north-west; the numbers of workers involved in drainage maintenance who have accepted redundancy terms; and the number of new hydraulic machines designated to each of the regions since 1982.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drainage Maintenance Workers.
12.
The shortfall in finances available for the drainage maintenance services will, it is anticipated, require employees to be put on shorttime working in the different regions for the following periods: East Region, 2 weeks; West Region (incl. North-West), 4 weeks; South-West Region, 2½ weeks.
Since the annnouncement of the Early Retirement-Voluntary Redundancy Scheme, 63 drainage maintenance employees have accepted voluntary redundancy. The number of hydraulic excavator machines supplied to the regions since 1982 is as follows: East Region, 11; West Region (incl. North-West), 3; South West Region, 3.
Will the Minister of State agree that the high level of take-up of redundancies particularly in the west where the numbers have been reduced by something in the region of 47 people, bringing the number to 103, coupled with the short time provision whereby the west is expected to take double the level of short time in terms of short time for maintenance workers, represents a considerable reduction in the level of vital maintenance work being carried out in the western region? Does he not also agree that he was fully appraised of this fact when he visited the OPW office in Ballina and that he knew the Cross River which provides a vital reservoir for flooding from the River Moy has now 15 feet——
This is becoming a long, long question.
Will the Minister of State not agree that this represents a considerable imposition in the level of maintenance in the western region?
I do not agree there is any inequity in the distribution of resources to meet the maintenance demands in any region. I would remind the Deputy that there was an under-provision in the Book of Estimates prepared by his Government, which I inherited. The first job I had to do when I came into office was to deal with that underprovision. I recommended a shorter working week, a four-day week throughout the year, rather than the short time. This has been agreed by the unions through a process of negotiation and through conciliation and arbitration. I should point out to the Deputy that there are 106 people employed in the eastern region where there are 4,838 kilometres of channel and the financial allocation for this year is £1,274,000. In the western region there are 111 people employed where there are 3,546 kilometres of channel and the allocation is £1,292,000. In the southern region there are 66 people employed where there are 2,653 kilometres of channel and there is an allocation of £834,000.
The global figures look impressive but will the Minister not agree they represent a substantial cutback? Will he give the House an assurance that in view of the announcement last week of the much-vaunted western package he might consider that special maintenance and drainage works now be included in the ambit of that package?
I do not accept what the Deputy says and would point out that under the Arterial Drainage Act the western package has no relevance. I agree that the amount of money made available by this Government to keep people working on the maintenance of already constructed arterial rivers throughout the country has been maintained this year. We want to maintain the level of maintenance and ensure that we get value for money but due to the economic situation reality must prevail.