I move: "That the Bill be received for final consideration."
Local Government (Dublin) (Amendment) Bill, 1931—Final Stages.
I should like to ask the Minister if he has given consideration since the Committee Stage to the points I put to him, or if any representations have been made to him with regard to the points I made.
As I explained on the last day, I had fully considered all the points the Deputy put to me before the Committee Stage.
I did my best to convey to the Minister that those directly affected by the Bill would be better pleased if the number of members proposed for the Dublin Union Committee was increased. The Minister read a communication from the Dublin Union Committee stating clearly that the number of nine and two co-opted members, making a total of eleven, was accepted by them as a minimum. Deputy Murphy asked if the word "minimum" did not indicate that they would have preferred to have a few more members and the Minister gave no direct reply. Since then I have discussed this matter with some of the elected representatives concerned in the matter and they feel that the points I put are deserving of consideration, namely, that in order to enable the Dublin Union Committee to carry out their work they should be made a more elastic body, that they should not be tied down to routine office work. The Minister probably knows better than I do the system of work in the Dublin Union. When the Committee meet on a Wednesday, all their time is taken up in going into applications and reports and there is no time for them to consider schemes which they could recommend to the Council and which would subsequently be approved by the Minister. The Minister will recollect that the Dublin Union Committee suggested a form of relief work which the Minister did not consider suitable. They wanted, instead of giving tickets for food, to be able to provide some kind of work for those in need and who are being given relief under the present system. If the Minister has made up his mind, and feels that there is no sense in the suggestions made, we cannot do any more now and must wait until there will be a chance of altering the Bill as it now being put through.
Question put and agreed to.
Question proposed: "That the Bill do now pass."
We do not want to hold up this Bill. As indicated on the First Stage we want to facilitate the putting through of the Bill for fear that the administration of poor law relief would break down. But I do not want it to be taken that we approve of the Bill in its Final Stage although we agree to the passing of the Fifth Stage now. It has been a little improved, no doubt, by having increased the numbers beyond what they were originally.
Question put and agreed to.
Ordered:—"That the Bill be sent to the Seanad."