asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he is aware that the Dublin County Council propose to let to contract the work of remaking the embankment road in the neighbourhood of Saggart, County Dublin; whether in former years the work on this road was carried out by direct labour; whether he is aware that the decision to substitute the contract system for direct labour will deprive the majority of local workers of an opportunity of employment in connection with this scheme, and whether in view of the large number of unemployed men in the district he will take such steps as are available to him to secure that the work in question will be carried out by direct labour.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Remaking of County Dublin Road.
The road work referred to by the Deputy is being carried out under the current year's Road Improvement Grant allotted to the Dublin County Council. About 94 per cent. of the work consists in resurfacing with bituminous macadam. The method hitherto employed by the Dublin County Council for doing similar work on other portions of the same road has been to obtain quotations from suppliers for the bitumen-coated stone delivered on the road, the rolling-in being done by the county council's workmen.
The doing of the work by contract in the present instance is in accordance with the usual practice for such work, and in fact is but a slight variation of what has already been done. The doing of the work by contract has the advantage of fixing the responsibility and, as a general rule, which the County Surveyor states will be followed in this case, is to employ 80 per cent. local labour, any reduction of employment amongst the road workers in the district should not arise.