asked the Minister for Finance if he has received a resolution, passed unanimously by the Cavan County Council, requesting the Office of Public Works to arrange the carrying out of minor relief schemes of drainage in the months of May and June in the County Cavan, as it is the only time when works of that character can be satisfactorily undertaken besides being a period when there is a great deal of unemployment owing to the slack period between the spring and harvest rush of work, and to ask if he will give effect to the unanimous wish of the council.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cavan Drainage Schemes.
The resolution of the Cavan County Council, requesting that drainage work carried out by means of grants from the fund for minor relief schemes should be done in the months of May and June, has been received and carefully considered.
The money provided by the Relief Vote, as at present constituted, is intended to relieve special distress at the time when it is most acute, and when the widely distributed small cash payments made to workmen by way of wages achieve the highest economic and social value.
In general, it is clear that the period of maximum distress occurs from November to February and not in May and June, and for that reason the aim in the past has been to confine relief works to the winter. It is recognised, however, that this practice has the disadvantage of ruling out of consideration many desirable drainage schemes of a minor character for the reason that they cannot be successfully and economically executed in the winter months.
In the modification of relief work organisation, which is at present under consideration, special attention will be paid to the desirability of carrying out, it is hoped, a greatly increased number of minor drainage schemes, and to the possibility of undertaking the work at the period of the year when weather conditions will be most favourable to its success.