(An Clár) asked the Minister for Lands and Fisheries if he will state (a) the total amount of money given to his Department for administration under the Relief Vote; (b) how much of this money has been allocated by his Department to County Clare; (c) how many schemes now in operation in County Clare; how many men employed; and, up to the latest day on which payment of wages was made, how much money has been expended in wages on these schemes; (d) where these schemes are situate; on what estates; and how many men employed on each scheme, and what rate of wages is paid.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Relief Schemes in Co. Clare.
Pádraig O hOgáin
Sums amounting to £80,000 out of the Vote for relief of unemployment and distress have been sanctioned by the Minister for Finance for expenditure by the Land Commission. Works have been or are about to be undertaken in Co. Clare, the total estimated cost of which amounts to £4,850. A list of these works is being prepared and will be sent to the Deputy.
Particulars are not available of the number of men employed and of the amount of money expended in wages up to the last date upon which wages were paid.
Labourers employed by the Land Commission on Relief works in Co. Clare are paid at the rate of 4s. per day.
Mr. Hogan
Are no returns furnished weekly as to the number of men employed weekly?
No.
Mr. Hogan
Is it not possible to calculate the number of men employed and the amount of wages paid?
The inspectors would have to send in the returns.
Have the inspectors unlimited authority to employ men or have they to refer to the Department for the authority?
It would depend entirely on the nature and the extent of the work.
Mr. Hogan
If I asked for the latest information surely it is possible from the information available in the Department to state what wages are paid?
Quite impossible. The returns are only furnished periodically. If the inspector wants to get that information he has to get it from his subordinates working in the county in which he is in charge and that would occupy a great deal of time which, in my opinion, would not be justified.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary suggest that the pay-sheets giving particulars of the men employed and the wages expended are not returned to the officers of the Land Commission?
They are returned monthly.
Then why cannot you give the information?
The information can be given at the end of the period.
Mr. Hogan
Is not a requisition furnished and is no statement made of what is going to be paid in wages?
It is purely a question of time. Deputies want these works done quickly and if the inspector has to devote his time to getting information which, in my opinion is quite unnecessary, it will mean that the completion of the works will be unduly prolonged.
If the pay-sheets are in the Land Commission for what reason does the Parliamentary Secretary refuse the information?
These returns are not up to date. They do not reach the Land Commission before the middle or sometimes the end of the following month, so the Land Commission is not in a position to give that information up to date.