I propose to take the further Stages of the Bill now.
Agreed to.
Unemployment Relief Bill, 1931—Fourth and Fifth Stages.
Question—"That the Bill be received for final consideration"—put, and agreed to.
Question proposed: "That the Bill do now pass."
Will the Minister say whether this money will be available to make a start before Christmas?
Oh, yes, we will try to make it available.
Will it be on the same terms as last year with regard to public bodies?
Yes, roughly, but where you have works such as sewerage or sanitary works, works which are primarily works of local utility and works that in the ordinary way would be done by the local authority, the grant would not be expected to extend to them; but every case, of course, must be judged on its merits. There are various circumstances in some places that do not extend to others. Broadly speaking, we would expect a substantial contribution from the local authority in the matter of sewerage and waterworks.
Last year the grant was given to local bodies for the purpose of making roads, clearances of sites, opening up new districts for housing purposes and so on. Will there be any objection to extending the grant to these matters now?
The first point is that in every place where it is proposed to expend this money there should be unemployment and distress to justify the expenditure of the money, and, secondly, that the work should be of a necessary character and if possible that it should be of a useful character.
The Minister is aware that we had a Housing Bill here last week, and in my view and in the view of a great many other people in this House that would make housing dearer because of the fact that the financial contributions from this State are not as liberal as heretofore. In view of that fact we think that where an offer is made by the local authority the local authority should be permitted by the Minister to use some of this grant in the matter of clearing the sites and in the initial work. The initial expenses would be rather high and the Minister should permit of the sites being prepared for houses through the aid of this grant so as to make the housing scheme cheaper.
Housing is already subsidised. What we must do is to consider propositions individually on their merits.
I take it that a large proportion of that money will be available through the Land Commission?
I would say very much the greater part of it. We have generally spent half or a little more of these grants through the Land Commission. There are areas in the country that can only be reached through the Land Commission.
Will portion of this grant be available for farmers who have lost their crops in the earlier part of this year? There is one particular district I have in mind in the County Louth where the farmers have planted their crops three times, and where, as a result of the flooding, these crops have failed each time. I want to know from the Minister whether any proportion of the grant will be allocated to farmers of this class next year for the propose of purchasing seed?
The Deputy will not take me as replying with regard to this particular place. It is intended that some part of the grant should be at the disposal of the Department of Agriculture for supplying seeds. In one or two cases lately that have been mentioned to us it does seem certain that it will be necessary for the Government to supply seeds—that is, where the potato crop and the oat crop have been very bad.
Will a proportion of the grant be administered in the Gaeltacht proper?
The Minister for Fisheries has dealt with that.
Yesterday I drew attention to the circumstances which last year prevented the County Dublin from getting a fair proportion of the grant. Will the Minister see that this factor is taken into consideration this year in connection with any proposal that may come before him from the County Dublin?
We will take all areas into account.
The position was that last year the County Dublin got only £3,000. That was due to circumstances over which the Dublin County Council had no control. The older rural district councils were wiped out during the year by the Local Government Act for the County Dublin, and the new county council was not in a position to initiate schemes which would entitle them to a share of the grant for that year.
I am not so keen on the county councils. I prefer the urban councils. In some rural areas the Land Commission will administer the grant.
Question agreed to.
Bill certified as a Money Bill.
Message to be sent to the Seanad accordingly.
The Dáil adjourned at 7.32 until 3 o'clock on Wednesday, 9th December, 1931.