asked the Minister for Finance whether he is aware that payment of the State bonus of ten per cent. on the wages paid by the Queenstown Dry Docks Shipbuilding and Engineering Company has been stopped; whether, in view of the fact that the ten per cent. and more is now being paid in unemployment benefit to the workers concerned, and in view of the statement of the chairman of the company that the restoration of the ten per cent. would result in the diversion of a considerable amount of ship-repairing work to these docks sufficient, in fact, to keep both docks going all the year round, he will immediately revert to that arrangement.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - QUEENSTOWN SHIPBUILDING COMPANY—WORKERS' BONUS.
The payment from the Relief Schemes Vote of a contribution amounting to ten per cent. of the sums paid in wages by the Queenstown Dry Docks Shipbuilding and Engineering Company to men engaged in shipbuilding or ship-repairing work in respect of whom contributions were being paid under the Unemployment Insurance Acts was sanctioned for the period from the 1st October, 1924, to the 31st March, 1925. As a result of renewed representations to my Department the continuance of the arrangement was sanctioned for a second period of six months and on further representations at the end of that period the arrangement was continued for a third period of six months which ended on the 31st March, 1926.
The course adopted in this case is open to many serious objections and could be justified only as an exceptional and temporary measure calculated to relieve unemployment and distress in the locality affected. The arrangement was terminated at the end of March, 1926, because, amongst other reasons, there appeared to be a danger that it would be regarded as a permanent measure involving State assistance to a private enterprise and a permanent arrangement of this kind could not properly be maintained in a casual way through grants from money voted for the relief of unemployment and distress.
Since the beginning of the last financial year no funds have been available for financing new relief works and consequently it has not been possible to entertain applications which have been made for a renewal of this contribution. The proposal was again put forward early this year and is again being considered in view of the fact that the Dáil is now being asked to provide money for the relief of unemployment and distress during the coming winter. A decision on the matter will be arrived at as early as possible.