asked the President whether a Roads Board Fund Grant of £7,500 has been allotted to the Waterford Corporation, and if the conditions attached thereto specify preferential treatment for ex-National Army service men; whether the Waterford Corporation has unanimously and repeatedly requested that these conditions should not apply, and that liberty be given to employ suitable men, with a preference to those having the largest number of dependents, irrespective of any other consideration; and whether, in view of the large number of unemployed in Waterford who have been continuously denied employment through such grants, he is prepared to accede to the request of the Corporation and allow employment to the most deserving cases.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT FOR EX-NATIONAL ARMY MEN.
A grant of £7,590 was allotted to the Waterford Corporation and the usual conditions regarding the preferential employment of ex-National Army men were attached.
These conditions required the following order of preference to be observed:
(1) Ex-National Army men with dependents;
(2) On a fifty-fifty basis—
(a) Ex-National Army men without dependents, and
(b) Civilians with dependents;
(3) Civilians without dependents.
In mid-September, 1927, the total number of civilians employed on work carried out under Road Fund Grants was 17,069, and the number of ex-National Army men, 1,861. Normally, therefore, it is clear that there is no reasonable ground for complaint against the scheme of preference. Where it can be shown in particular cases that the scheme of preference would cause hardship a modification will be considered.
The special circumstances of Waterford have been reconsidered and it is agreed to modify the conditions attached to the present grant to the extent of dividing the work on a fifty-fifty basis between ex-National Army men with dependents and civilians with dependents.