Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 12 Mar 1925

Vol. 10 No. 12

COMMITTEE ON FINANCE. - VOTE 60.—DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES.

Mr. BLYTHE

I move:—

Go ndeontar Suim Bhreise ná raghaidh thar Deich bPúint chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na blianca dar críoch an 31adh Márta, 1925, mar gheall ar Thuarastail agus Costaisí na Roinne Iascaigh.

That a Supplementary Sum not exceeding Ten Pounds be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending the 31st March, 1925, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Depart ment of Fisheries.

This increased provision, which the Dáil is now asked to vote, arises solely from the success which has attended the operation of rural industries in the congested districts. The original estimate included a sum for the purchase of materials. That has proved inadequate, owing to the greater amount of work being done, the greater amount of goods being sold and more raw materials being required. The additional sum now asked for will be entirely recoverable—most of it in the near future.

Mr. JOHNSON

Will the Minister for Fisheries give us some information as to the development of those rural industries? The amount, of course, is £1,000. I am sure the Minister has a good case, and now is a fitting opportunity to make it.

MINISTER for FISHERIES (Mr. F. Lynch)

I think this is thoroughly explained in the note. During the year the sale of the goods produced in those classes along the western seaboard improved, and as the sale improved we found that the amount of money available for the purchase of the raw material was insufficient. We have, therefore, to come and ask for more money. As the Minister for Finance pointed out, that money is mostly recoverable, we purchase the raw material and resell it to the workers at those classes. In that way, the initial money is brought back almost immediately. Then there is a charge for overhead expenses made of, I think, ten per cent. of the profits of the workers. That brings back a further amount, so as to cover practically the whole expense. Some classes do not pay for themselves. A good many of them are on the border line. Some make a certain amount of profit, which helps to recoup the loss on the weaker classes.

Mr. HEWAT

Would the Minister give us some information as to where those classes are. Are they all over the country or limited to the West?

Mr. LYNCH

They are almost entirely heritages from the Congested District Board. They are in West Cork, Kerry—one or two—Galway, Mayo and Donegal.

Mr. HEWAT

I think the Minister's statement is very interesting as showing how far this scheme has been a success, and how far it would be beneficial to extend it. At this stage I suppose we need not look for any accounts but the Minister seems to make a very encouraging statement with regard to the fact that the classes as a whole have been largely self-supporting. If that is found beneficial in one district, the possibility of developing it in other parts of the country would come before him for consideration. One would like to have information as to whether the scheme has been sufficiently encouraging in the places where it was adopted to convince the Minister that its extension to other districts would be desirable. I do not know the parts of the country to which he refers, but I know that down in parts of the County Wexford there is room for something of the sort if it could be done.

Mr. LYNCH

As a matter of fact, during the year we closed up seven or eight classes that were not working satisfactorily and were not worth keeping on. A great deal depends on whether the girls locally take to the working of those classes. In some places we found that classes decayed for one reason or another and we had to close them up. We had not funds to extend and I do not know that there would be local talent in places outside those congested areas that would justify the making of experiments.

Mr. HEWAT

That statement is not quite so encouraging as the first one. From what the Minister says now there is a certain amount of trouble in keeping existing classes open.

Mr. LYNCH

Not existing classes. Classes of the type I referred to have been closed.

Question put and agreed to.