asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if, in consequence of distress in County Clare, his Department promised a relief grant of £20,000 to the Clare County Council, and directed that schemes for the utilisation of this money be submitted; if, after schemes having been submitted for sanction, his Department informed the council that the grant was being withheld; if he will state the reason for this decision, and if, in view of the increasing unemployment and distress in the county, and the need of works of public utility, the decision will be reconsidered and the grant released.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - CLARE RELIEF GRANT.
No relief grant was promised to the Clare County Council by my Department nor was a direction given that schemes for the utilisation of a sum of £20,000 should be submitted. A scheme for the expenditure of this sum was, however, received. The county council were informed that all schemes for the relief of unemployment in the county were being carried out under the direct supervision of the Land Commission. About the time of the receipt of the council's scheme a sum of £8,750 had just been made available by the Minister for Finance from the Relief Vote for works to be carried out in the county through the Land Commission. In view of the fact that the Vote was almost entirely allocated, a further grant could not be made, and the council was informed to that effect. Particulars of the most suitable works in the council's scheme have been forwarded to the Land Commission for consideration. The Deputy may wish to make representations to that Department.
Mr. MURPHY
Has the attention of the Minister been called to a statement made by the chairman, at the Clare County Council, to the following effect: "They had spent two hours that day in drafting a scheme for the relief of distress in the west of the county at a cost of £20,000, and he had it from the mouth of the Minister himself that they were going to get the money required"?
I do not know what the chairman of the county council said, but no promise was given. I understand that if the council had submitted their scheme earlier than the 20th January they might have got some money.