asked the Minister for Finance if he will state (1) the total amounts allocated for the financial year ended 31st March, 1933, for minor relief works in the counties of Laoighis and Offaly; (2) the amount paid to county engineers, foremen and gangers for supervisory work in connection with the carrying out of such works; (3) the amount paid in wages to workers; (4) the amount paid for carting material; (5) the cost of material; (6) the location of the schemes and (7) the schemes left unfinished owing to shortage of money.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Minor Relief Schemes. Laoighis and Offaly.
I will deal with (1), (6) and (7) first:—
(1) The total amounts allocated are as follows:—County Laoighis—£3,317; County Offaly—£3,040.
In addition a sum of £3,132 was expended through the Land Commission in County Offaly on work at Turraun analogous to minor relief works.
(6) Copies of complete lists of the works are being furnished to the Deputy. These lists show the location of all the works undertaken.
(7) Complete information is not yet available. It should be observed, however, that in minor relief schemes grants are made in a large number of cases for the repair and extension of accommodation and bog roads; the grant being apportioned in respect to the needs of the district. In undertaking works of this kind it is foreseen that a certain amount of work will often be left over to be completed, possibly, in the relief work of a subsequent year. In such cases it would be misleading to state that the schemes had not been completed owing to shortage of money.
As to points (2), (3), (4) and (5), for the ordinary purpose of administration no such elaborate statistical return for each county has been found necessary as would supply the information which is sought, nor would the public advantages likely to accrue from its special preparation be commensurate with the amount of labour entailed in the task. From general investigations made recently in connection with over 200 average wages sheets of minor relief schemes in different counties it was ascertained that the wages paid to labourers and carters represented approximately 91 per cent. of the expenditure on wages plus materials, plus tools, plus national health insurance.
Would it be unfair to ask the Minister to give an assurance that as the schemes referred to in (7) of my question have been left unfinished owing to the shortage of money—that is my information—some provision will be made for their completion as soon as possible?
I think the Deputy can take it that in the ordinary course that provision will be made.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state (1) the number of applications received during the financial year ended 31st March, 1933, from the counties of Laoighis and Offaly for grants for the carrying out of minor relief works; (2) the number of such applications already investigated and the estimated cost of carrying out same and (3) whether applications received since 31st March, 1933, are being investigated.
As to numbers (1) and (2) of the question I want to say that for the ordinary purposes of administration no such statistical return for each county has been found necessary as would supply the information which is sought, nor would the public advantages likely to accrue from its special preparation be commensurate with the amount of labour entailed in the task. Approximately 7,000 applications have been received for minor relief works in the Free State. Some 1,200 works were carried out during last winter and spring but a great many applications in excess of this number had necessarily to be investigated, many of which were found to be unsuitable. It was not, however, feasible even if it had been desirable or economical to investigate all the applications received, as the cost of so doing is borne by relief funds. (3) Applications received since 31st March, 1933, for Laoighis and Offaly are not at present being investigated, but arrangements to do so will be made in due course.