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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 22 Jul 1924

Vol. 8 No. 17

COMMITTEE ON FINANCE. - SUB-HEAD I.—ENGINEERING ESTABLISHMENT.

I do not intend to criticise, but I desire to ask the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs who is responsible for the breaking up of new streets within practically six months of their being laid by the local councils. Can it not be arranged that when a new street is about to be put down the Engineer of the Post Office should inform the local authorities that he wishes to lay mains there? I know a street in Dublin that cost £20,000 to make within the last twelve months; and within the last three months it has been torn up by the postal authorities. Of course they will say that it was necessary to lay the mains. But the street will never be the same again. The same thing happens in the city with regard to new footpaths. I think there ought to be some working agreement between the engineers of the Councils and the Engineers of the Post Office, and that the Engineer in charge of the Post Office Engineering Department should give some consideration to the expenditure of the money involved —both the ratepayers' money and the money of the Post Office—and notify the local council that it is the intention of the Post Office to lay new mains, and that they would like to know when the streets are to be taken up. I think you will all agree that it is a deplorable thing that a street which it cost £20,000 or £30,000 to lay should be torn up within three months by the Post Office. I think there should be some co-operation between the post office and the municipal authorities. I want to make the position clear. I do not want to stop work, but I think the engineer should know when he is going to lay mains twelve months, or at least six months, in advance, and that when he sees the streets being taken up he should not wait until they are almost finished to put in his mains on the side streets, and tear the new street up again. I think in this case the edge of the footpath could have been taken up, and so avoid spoiling a magnificent street. The street I am referring to is quite convenient to O'Connell Street.

I have taken it for granted that the Engineering Department has followed the practice of giving due notice to municipal bodies in matters of this kind. It does not always happen, of course, that one can exactly fit in post office, or telephone or telegraphic development to suit municipal development, but it is our desire that as far as possible there should be no undue loss of public money. They are all the property of the public, and we certainly will carefully note what the Deputy has said.

I feel that I cannot do less than support Deputy Byrne in this protest, because it is very clear to anybody passing along the part of the city to which he refers that there is need for co-ordination between the different bodies. That is very apparent in this particular case. I do not know whether the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, or his engineering staff, knew that this work he has undertaken was going to be undertaken at the time when the street was being taken up, but one cannot help being struck by the very deliberate lifting of the pavement. In one case it is paved and in another case it has been steam-rolled, and made a new road. It is a very continuous line of new-made road, and it must have cost the city a very considerable sum of money. It has been so cut up that until it is thoroughly overhauled, and overhauled again, it cannot be put back into the condition in which it was.

Under sub-head (F) there is one point to which I wish to call the attention of the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs. I notice this estimate is for railway services in connection with telegrams.

We cannot go back to that now.

Sub-heads I, K, L, M, N, and O agreed to.

rose to put the motion—

Before you put the motion I would like to ask the Executive Council to see, and I do this with a great sense of responsibility, for I know I voice the opinions of a considerable section of the community, that a Commission be appointed to deal with this question of postal facilities. That is not asking too much, and I am not asking it in a light or hostile manner at all. I ask it as a matter of necessity. I am quite satisfied to leave this question to the Commission.

Deputies will be aware what the position is with regard to the administration of the Post Office. It is an extern Ministry, and the responsible Minister for that Department answers exclusively to the Dáil. It is necessary to stress that in view of Deputy Gorey's invitation to the Executive Council to set up a Commission to examine into the question of postal facilities. A request or suggestion of that kind should be addressed to the Minister personally.

I am sorry I made a mistake. In that case I address it to the Minister, and later on, perhaps, I may have to address it to the Dáil.

I would like to know from the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, with regard to uniforms under G (2) whether the material for them is manufactured in Ireland.

The Deputy cannot discuss G2 now.

I think, nevertheless, that it would be well to reply to that query.

Mr. BYRNE

The last three Deputies, according to my reading of the Standing Orders, are out of order. You, Sir, were on your feet to put the Motion, and when Ceann Comhairle stands up I do not think any Deputy is entitled to speak.

I do not wish to deny the Minister the right to reply to the question raised by Deputy Gorey.

The fact is you were putting the final Vote, and I think it should have been persevered with. All the materials for postmen's uniforms are made in this country. There is no necessity, no justification whatsoever, for setting up any Commission to inquire into post office facilities. This is the Commission, and this Commission can decide——

Does the Minister confine his assurance to the material? I think that he might be misunderstood. Are we to say that not only the material but the uniforms are made in this country?

The entire material, including the buttons.

And they are made into suits in this country?

Absolutely, and only very recently we set up machinery for making buttons here. That is why I mentioned buttons.

May I take it that the Minister will not reply to my question?

I have replied to it.

Vote 57 put and agreed to.
Sitting suspended at 6.30 p.m., and resumed at 7.15 p.m.,AN LEAS-CHEANN COMHAIRLE in the Chair.
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