Committee on Finance. - Vote 54—Gaeltacht Services. – Dáil Éireann (10th Dáil) – Wednesday, 23 Apr 1941

Committee on Finance. - Vote 54—Gaeltacht Services.

Aire Tailte (Tomás O Deirg)

Tairgim:

Go ndeontar suim ná raghaidh thar £38,468 chun slánuithe na suime is gá chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfaidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1942, chun Tuarastail agus Cosantí i dtaobh Seirbhísí na Gaeltachta, ar a n-áirmhítear Deontaisi um Thógáil Tithe.

That a sum, not exceeding £38,468, be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending the 31st March, 1942, for Salaries and Expenses in connection with Gaeltacht Services, including Housing Grants.

Rúnaí Pairliminte don Aire Tailte (Seán Ó Gráda)

Tá laghdú £7,627 ar mheastachán na bliana airgeadais dá bhfuilimíd ag soláthar anois, ach ní h-ionann sin agus a rádh gur lugha an obair a bhéas á déanamh fén Vóta ná a bhí á déanamh anuraidh. Ach a n-íocfar ósna Leithreasaí-i-gCabhair d'áireamh, meastar go mbeidh mór-chaithteachas £242,068 ag baint leis an Vóta i mbliana in ionad an £226,662 a measadh don bhliain seo thart. Sin méadú £15,406 ar an mór-chaithteachas. Ach más mó an mór-chaithteachas, is mó fós an méadú a meastar a bhéas ann i mbliana ar na mór-fháltaisí. Méadú £23,033 a bhéas orra-sin i gcoinnibh an mhéaduitthe £15,406 a bhéas ar an mór-chaithteachas. Chífear mar sin gurab é fé ndear an laghdú ar an Vóta i mbliana ná an bhreis le n-a bhfuil coinne ós na mór-fháltaisí.

Roinntear an caithteachas fén meastachán ar na seirbhísí seo—an Ceann-Oifig, na Tionnscail Tuaithe agus an Taisc-Ionad, na Tionnscail Mhara, Seirbhísí Ilghnéitheacha agus Teach-Soláthar. Agus, ag féachaint dos na sábháiltí a cuireadh i bhfeidhm ar na figiúirí compráideacha a teasbántar don bhliain seo thart sa mheastachán atá anois fé mheas, tá méadú ar an gcaithteachas ar gach seirbhís díobhsin ach amháin ar na Seirbhísí Ilghnéitheacha. Sa Cheann-Oifig tá méadú £482 ar an mór-chaithteachas; i gcás na dTionnscal Tuaithe agus an Taisc-Ionaid le chéile, tá méadú £8,490; i gcás na dTionnscal Mara tá méadú £5,750; agus i gcás an Teach-Soláthair tá méadú £1,114. Tá laghdú £430 ar na Seirbhísi Ilghnéitheacha.

Ar an méid á gcóirightear d'fhuirinn na Ceann-Oifige fé Mhíreheann A tá tuairim is £4,500 a bhaineas le fuirinn atá tugtha ar iasacht do Rannaí eile Stáit ar obair thábhachtach a bhaineas leis an aimsir éigeandála so.

Fé sna Mírchinn D 1 go D 9 a bhaineas leis na Tionnscail Tuaithe tá méadú £5,148. Sé fé ndeár an méadú sin ná an £17,450 breise atá dá chóiriú fé D 9 don Mhuileann Sníomhacháin agus na breisithe eile dá gcóirightear fé sna Mírchinn D 3, D 4, D 5, agus D 7, lúide na laghduithe a bhaineas leis na Mírchinn D 1, D 6 agus D 8. Bhí soláthar ann anuraidh don Mhuileann Sníomhacháin ach níor h-úsáideadh ach cuid bheag de, toisc moill a bhain le fostú Innealltóra Comhairlíochta le haghaidh na hoibre. Tá dul chun cinn déanta anois maidir le leagadh amach na hoibre a bhéas le déanamh chun an Muileann sin do thabhairt i ngníomh, agus táthar ag súil leis go mbeidh an obair a bhaineas le tógáil an Mhuilinn tosnuithe sara bhfad.

Tá laghdú £12,300 ar fad ar an méid dá bhfuiltear ag cóiriú le haghaidh abhar déantóireachta — £8,500 fé Mhírcheann D 6 agus £3,800 fé chuid de Mhírcheann D 8. Laghduithe móra is eadh iad sin ach táid á ndéanamh ag féachaint don ghnó le n-a bhfuiltear ag súil i mbliana agus dos na stóranna atá ar láimh againn ón mbliain roimhe. Chífear ón méid atá á mheas d'fháltaisí na dTionnscal Tuaithe nach ionann na laghduithe sin agus aon laghdú bheith ag teacht ar ghnó na dTionnscal.

Tá laghdú £1,230 ar a gcóirightear fé Mhírcheann D 8 do chostaisí an Tionnscail Bréagán, ach is le hadhbhair pacála agus meaisíní a bhaineann sé-sin—rudaí gur deineadh mór-sholáthar dóibh anuraidh.

Fésna Mírchinn E 1 go E 4 a bhaineas leis na Tionnscail Mara tá méadú £5,740. Baineann an méadú sin ar fad nach mór le cúrsaí ceilpe agus feamna. Tá cóiriú sa mheastachán do cheannach 800 tonna ceilpe agus 2,000 tonna feamna i gcoinnibh 450 tonna ceilpe agus 450 tonna feamna a fuarathas anuraidh. Ní bhfuarathas anuraidh an oiread ceilpe le n-a raibh súil, toisc gan an aimsear bheith oireamhnach tráth bailithe na feamna. Maidir le Tionnscal na Feama ní rabhthas ag plé anuraidh ach le Tionnscal nua a bhí ag tosnú. Chífear ón méid feamna dá bhfuiltear ag cóiriú i mbliana gur mór an dul chun cinn atá déanta, agus tuigtear dhúinn go mbeidh an t-éileamh ar fheamain ag méadú feasta. I rith na bliana d'imthigh tharainn do cuireadh cose le ceilp do chur amach as an dtír toisc an deacracht a bhaineas le potáis d'fháil. D'éirigh linn an méid ceilpe a fágadh againn do dhíol mar leasú talmhan ar phraghas a bhí ar aon dul leis an bpraghas a bheadh ar fáil as í chur thar lear. Mar adubhradh cheana, tá ar aigne againn 800 tonna, nó breis más féidir é, den cheilp do cheannach i mbliana, agus, mar leasú talmhan, raghaidh sí chun tairbhe do chúrsaí curadóireachta. Ceannófar an cheilp uile a déanfar, agus sin ar phraghsanna a socruigheadh ag féachaint dos na praghsanna gurbh fhéidir í dhíol air leis na déantóirí leasuithe agus leis na feirmeóirí.

Is beag an difríocht atá ar an méid a cóirightear don Taisc-Ionad fésna Mírchinn F 1 go F 3; agus fé Mhírcheann G níl ach soláthair chomhartha dá ndéanamh le haghaidh iasachtaí a bheadh an Fhó-Roinn sásta a thabhairt fé scéimeanna áirithe mar mhaithe leis an nGaeltacht. Tá £100 á sholáthar do sheirbhísí iomchair idir na hoileáin agus an mhór-thír.

Fésna Mírchinn H 1 go H 4 a bhaineas le Teach-Soláthar, tá méadú £1,114. Tá laghdú déanta ar an bhfuirinn lasmuigh a bhéas i bhfeighil na hoibre, agus, dá bharr sin, is lugha a cóirightear fé H 1 do Thuarasdail agus fé H 2 do Chostaisí Taistil agus eile. Fé Mhírcheann H 3 a bhaineas le deontaisí fé Achtanna na dTighthe (Gaeltacht) tá méadú £1,360. Tá deacrachtaí móra ag baint leis an obair seo i láthair na huaire agus tá cuid mhaith daoine ann ná fuil toilteannach dul ar aghaidh léi. Tá gach arbh fhéidir déanta againn chun saoráidí do chur ar fáil don obair, agus in a thaobh sin ní misde dhom a rádh go bhfuil éirithe linn margaí do dhéanamh le soláthrathóirí chun adhbhair tógála do chur ar fáil ar phraghsanna réasúnta d'obair na bliana so—margaí ná déanfar atharú orra ach ar réamhfhógra ag féachaint do mhéaduithe ar phraghsanna na n-adhbhar ins an aimsir phráinneach so.

Tá soláthar déanta fé Mhírcheann H 4 d'obair atá beartuithe a dhéanamh ar thighthe comhnaithe do mhúintóirí sa bhFíor-Ghaeltacht.

Fé Mhírcheann I teasbántar an méid airgid a meastar a bhéas le fáil ar feadh na bliana ó dhíolacháin na dTionnscal Tuaithe, ó dhíolacháin na dTionnscal Ceilpe agus Feamna, ó dhíolacháin na Cairrgín Bidh, ó aisíocanna iasacht, ó chíosanna tighthe múinteoirí scoile agus ó fháltaisí ilghnéitheacha a bhaineas le hobair na Fo-Roinne. Meastar go mbeidh £155,000 de dhíolacháin ag na Tionnscail Tuaithe i mbliana i gcoinnibh an £130,000 don bhliain anuraidh. Táthar ag súil go mbaileófar £143,200 de sna díolacháin sin ar feadh na bliana i gcoinnibh an £126,500 don bhlian roimhe.

Meastar go n-íocfar £40,700 i leith págh na n-oibrithe i mbliana, agus roinnfear an págh sin ar tuairim is 1,000 oibrithe atá fostuithe i 32 Ionad Tionnscail sa Ghaeltacht. Do híocadh, mar phágh:—

£9,802	sa bhliain	1935-36
£12,768	,,,,	1936-37
£14,680	,,,,	1937-38
£18,766	,,,,	1938-39
£26,391	,,,,	1939-40

Sa Mheastachán do 1940-41 bhí £37,000, agus i mbliana meastar go roinnfear £40,700 ar na h-oibrithe. Chífear ón méid sin go bhfuil méadú ana-mhór tagtha ar phágh na n-oibrithe ón bhliain 1935-36, agus gur mór an rud é do mhuinntir na Gaeltachta na Tionnscail Tuaithe sin bheith ar siubhal na laetheannta so. Tá deacrachtaí móra ag baint le h-adhbhair dhéantóireachta fháil dos na tionnscail, ach táimíd ag déanamh ár ndíchill chun ná beadh orainn aon cheann des na tionnscail seanbhunuithe seo do dhúnadh cheal adhbhar déantóireachta.

Tá cúntaisí trádála ullmhuithe dos na blianta ó 1935-36 go 1939-40. Leagadh na cunntaisí ó 1935-36 go 1937-38 ar Bhórd na Dála cheana. Tá cuntaisí na mblianta 1938-39 agus 1939-40 dá n-iniúchadh fé láthair ag an Árd-Reachtaire Cuntas Ciste agus táthar ag súil leis nach ró-fhada go dtí go leagfar iad-san freisin ar Bhórd na Dála.

Meastar méid na bhfáltas a gheobhfar ó dhíolacháin na dTionnscal Ceilpe agus Feamna do réir an mhéid caithteachais dár cóirigheadh fé Mhírcheann E 3. Is féidir, do réir mar a tuigtear dhúinn fé láthair, go mbeidh i bhfad níos mó ceilpe agus feamna á díol againn, agus go mbeidh, dá bharr sin, breis airgid le fáil. Má bhíonn, méadófar dá réir an méid a bhéas le n-íoc fé Mhírcheann E 3. Tá margaí cinnte fachta againn don Cheilp agus don bhFeamain dá gcóirightear sa Mheastachán.

Ní gá mórán a rádh i dtaobh na bhfáltaisí ó dhíolacháin an charraigín ach a chur in iúl ná baineann na fáltaisí sin ach leis an gcairrgín bidh a dhíolann an Fhó-Roinn. Níl aon trácht sa Mheastachán ar thionnscal an ghnáth-chairrgín tráchtála, rud a fágtar fé dhaoine príobháideacha. Cuireann an Fhó-Roinn suim ann, ámhthach, agus ó am go h-am, gheibhtear tuarasgbhála i dtaobh na bpraghsanna a h-íoctar leis na bailitheoirí. Féachtar chuige go mbíonn cothrom na féinne á fháil ag na bailitheóirí.

Ag féachaint do gach rud is dóigh liom nár mhisde dhúinn bheith buidheach go dteasbánann an Meastachán so borradh maith láidir bheith ins na Tionnscail Tuaithe agus Mara agus gur mó, dá bhrigh sin, an t-airgead a bhéas dá roinnt i mbliana ar mhuinntir na Gaeltachta.

Mr. McMenamin

In this Estimate I notice that there is a decrease of £4,000 with regard to materials for the toy industry. When the Parliamentary Secretary is replying I would like him to give us some review as to the position of the toy industry. He has referred to the new spinning factory. I take it that is at Kilcar. I would like to know from the Parliamentary Secretary is it intended to complete the building this year and, secondly, is he sure that he will be able to get the machinery when the building is complete. The only other item I wish to deal with on the accounts side is the question of kelp. Very high costs are involved. £6,050 is being given out to the burners of kelp and it is costing £4,158 to do that. As a business transaction that does not strike one as being the kind one would like to see in a set of accounts. It may be, of course, that on a limited production your overhead charges remain even if you do four or five times the amount of business, but certainly the fact that the cost should be £4,158 on £6,050 worth of material seems to me to be entirely out of proportion.

I would have liked the Parliamentary Secretary to have said something more on the question of kelp, and particularly with regard to that branch of his Department for this year. The House may take it for granted that so far as the agricultural industry of this country is concerned there is going to be a crisis in connection with fertilisers next year. The crisis obtains even this year, and I think it will be agreed by anybody who is at all conversant with the sources from which fertilisers come that the crisis will be much more acute next year. It may, perhaps, seem ridiculous to introduce the question of wheat into the Gaeltacht Services Vote, but of course one has to look at these things, and look at the country as a whole. Land in the poorer districts has been producing wheat that normally would not be fit for wheat during the last five or six years. In the desperate situation in which we now find ourselves, and in view of the crisis with which the country is faced, the attempt is being made to grow wheat on these lands, and it is vital to have fertilisers of some kind or of any kind that we can get our hands on. Certainly, it seems to me that the provision of £6,000 for the production of kelp is entirely inadequate. In the statement that was issued, reference was made to the prices the farmers will be agreeable to pay. The price being paid is £8 10s. a ton for fertilisers to-day. I agree that these are composite fertilisers, but there will be no choice next year. It is almost certain that there will be no choice whatever next year. I think that there could be even a higher price; I think the Parliamentary Secretary could go as far as another £1 10s. or £2 a ton, because these fertilisers will have to be got if the farmers are to produce the crops, and it looks as if this emergency will not terminate for another year or two.

Might I suggest to the Parliamentary Secretary that here and now, since the season is just coming in, he should issue an advertisement to the seaweed gatherers on the coasts of Donegal, Galway, Mayo and Clare, with a view to inducing them to put forward their best efforts if the season is favourable; but whether the season is favourable or not he should ask them to collect all that they can collect and inform them that he will take it and pay for it. I think he would be doing a great work for the agricultural industry of this country, and for the people as a whole, in the line of producing food. I do not know how these figures are arrived at, but they seem to me to be grossly out of proportion. After all, there is no highly technical work or knowledge required in connection with kelp. It is burned in a little stone rack and then there is just the question of transporting it to the station, and it seems to me that the amount spent in dealing with the quantity of material concerned is out of proportion. There may be an explanation for it, but I cannot see it. You have the same with regard to carrageen. You have £240 going out for the purchase of carrageen, and it costs £410, between one thing and another, to do that. Well, I am not going to comment on that.

In his statement the Parliamentary Secretary says that some difficulty is being met with in the procuring of wool for the factories. I quite appreciate that. What I should like to know, however, is this. What foresight was applied to this matter when the war broke out, and since, to build up at least a substantial store of wool of the basic colours that would hold good for all this period? It would be a disaster if there were any diminution in the employment given in this industry, and particularly if that were due to lack of foresight during the last two years, and before that, with regard to the purchasing of materials. I had what I consider a shocking experience myself in this connection. It was concerned with a person who had a little factory in Donegal. When the war broke out they asked me what was the probable duration of the war and what could be done about buying wool. I immediately answered by telling them to buy four years' quantity of wool. I did not know whether the party could afford that much capital or not, but I told her to make a survey of her position, apply for a licence, and send me a note when she had applied for the licence and I would back it up. With considerable difficulty, I got a licence to import just half that quantity. I wonder has this Department been held up in a similar manner, or has the Parliamentary Secretary been able to override a policy of that kind? I shall not use language in dealing with it.

Now, I achieved a certain amount of notoriety for myself a year or two ago on the question of tweeds. I am very glad that, as far as I can see, the quality of all the tweeds I see is conspicuously improved. When the Parliamentary Secretary was here a month or two ago, in connection with a token Vote, I referred to the question of patterns in tweeds. The patterns that are out this year are good, but they are too limited. All the other makers of tweeds are turning out various kinds of checks, but so far as the Gaeltacht tweeds are concerned, I only see the ordinary small kind of check, about the size of a diamond, and the range of mixed grades is very limited. The explanation of that may be that it is due to the variety of wool that can be procured, and that they are restricted to the production of these things. I say to the Parliamentary Secretary that the Department for which he caters should go all out for purchasing, first, all the seaweed that can be procured, and secondly, with regard to the amount of wool he has now in stock he should strike out at once to get any supplies he can lay his hands on from any source and override any obstruction from any other Department, so that he may be able to make provision for the future.

I do not know if Deputy Mongan is in the House, but I should like to hear whether any contact has been made with Messrs. MacDonagh of Galway. When the late Deputy MacDonagh was in this House he was a source of strength to this industry, and I wonder has the Parliamentary Secretary got into contact with the MacDonagh firm. I made no inquiry myself, and I overlooked asking Deputy Mongan, but contact should be made with these people and the technical knowledge and resources of that great firm should be availed of in view of the full mastery they have of this branch of the industry. The Parliamentary Secretary should let nothing stand in his way in getting into contact with them and making arrangements to bring all the resources that they possess into the furthering of this industry and putting the Gaeltacht areas into the way of earning money instead of having the people of these areas going around in the way they have been going for the last eight or nine years. It was pathetic to watch these fine, brave people deteriorating year by year. If Deputies will look through the Estimates for the last six or seven years, they will see the miserable amount of money that went out to these areas from the Department, where thousands of pounds used to go. In a little fishing village along the seacoast you could see an old man, over 70 years of age, out with a rake putting in some little stocks of seeds.

Talk about the deserted village, it was nothing compared to it. I think the Parliamentary Secretary as a sensible man ought to tackle this question courageously. The scarcity of fertilisers gives him a golden opportunity and I would appeal to him to take full advantage of it.

Mr. Childers

I want to intervene on this Estimate, only for a few brief moments, to speak on behalf of the seed potato growers in Athlone area. I had occasion to be present at a meeting when there were at least 30 of them present and they all more or less reiterated the suggestions made by the previous Deputy in regard to potash. As I understand it, when a fertiliser such as potash becomes scarce, a farmer will pay a far higher price for it than he would consider possible in normal circumstances. There is a complete scarcity of potash in Athlone as in other areas. I should like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary whether he has any figures that he could give to the House as to the estimated cost of producing potash from burning kelp for delivery to a central area such as Athlone compared with the estimated cost of delivering unprepared kelp in such an area. I should also like to know whether any representations have been made to him by the Department of Agriculture or by seed potato growers in general as to how much more farmers may be prepared to pay for potash, now that they are faced with the possibility of having no other fertilisers. As I understand it, the price would be very much in excess of what would have been thought possible before the war started. There is no question but that the high yield which is normally obtained in Athlone area will not be forthcoming unless potash can be procured. It is a product which should provide a considerable amount of employment in its collection. There are however, difficulties to be encountered in its delivery. I would ask the Parliamentary Secretary to let us know what information he has on the matter and whether he has made any recent inquiries as to the price people would be prepared to pay for this all-important commodity which is so essential in preserving the high yield of potatoes which has been the rule in many districts, particularly in Athlone.

Seosamh Ó Mongáin

Is leathmhagadh faoi'n Teach an meastachán seo. Sé an t-aon mheastachán amháin é atá íslighthe i mbliana nuair ba cheart é bheith árduithe. Tá an Rúnaí Páirliminte ag caint le leathuair agus bé tús agus deire a scéilceilp. Ceapann sé gur iongantach an rud 800 tonna cheannacht sa tír uilig. I gConamara, leis fhéin, deich mbliana fichead ó shoin, ceannuigheadh ar a laighead fiche ocht gcéad tonna. Anois, deir an tAire gurb é an fáth nach raibh mórán ceilpe anuraidh ann—nach raibh an bhlian go maith. Ní fíor é sin. Níl an chuimhne caillte againn uilig. Ar tháinic bliain ariamh a b'fhearr ná í maidir le triomach? Agus leigeadh do na mílte tonna feamuinne lobhadh sa gcladach mar níorbh fhiú leis na daoine aon phlé bheith acu léi ingeall ar an bpraghas suarach a bhí an tAire sásta thabhairt uirthi. Dhá mbreathnuíodh an tAire roimhe in am bheadh ár ndóthain leasú sa tír agus ní bheadh na daoine ag screadach ag iarraidh leasú siopa nach bhfuil le fáil. Deirimse nach féidir a dhéanamh faoi láthair gan £8 an tonna ar a laighead.

Bhí cruinniú againn ag Cros-Bhóthar an Mháma mí ó shoin, ar a raibh Sagairt Chonamara agus duine as gach paráiste, agus socruigheadh nárbh fhéidir é dhéanamh gan £8 an tonna ar a laighead.

Beidh an scéal go dona ag na daoine bochta agus beidh sé níos measa suas faoi'n tír mar ní bheidh na daoine i ndon leasú fháil le haghaidh biatais, agus ní cuirfear an biatas i ngeall air sin. Mar sin is gearr go mbeidh an siucra cho gann leis an tae.

Faoi láthair tá £1 7s. ar chéad plúir. Dó fichead ar phéire bróg. An tobac a bhíodh ar 3d. tráth tá 10d. anois air; agus chuile rud eile dhá réir. Maidir le tae, níl sé le fáil. Ach an cheilp atá ag na daoine le díol, sé an luach céanna atá anois uirthi is a bhí deich mbliana fichead ó shoin nuair a bhí rudaí í bhfad níos saoire.

Maidir le sníomhachán, chím gur £18,000 atá leagtha amach dhó. Anois, ba mhaith liomsa fios fháil cén chaoi a gcaithfear an t-airgead seo. An go Hull, le machinery a cheannacht, a rachas a bhunáite? Agus an mbeidh le fáil ag na daoine a choinnigh an cheird uasal ar bun ach cuid Pháidín den mheacain—an driobaillín caol? Tíortha atá i bhfad níos treise ná an tír seo, tá siad ar a mbionda ag cuidiú le déantais teallaigh. Nach gcuirfeadh sé áthas agus mórtas ar dhuine dhul isteach i dteach sa nGaeltacht oíche áirneáin agus scata ban fheiceál ag sníomh is ag cárdáil? Nach ceol in do chluasa siansan an túirne a bhí ariamh ag rith le n-ár muintir? Pé rud a leig ár ndaoine uatha choinnigh siad greim ar na déantais teallaigh agus ar a dteigheann leo. Siad na daoine atá ag coinneáil na gcearda sin beo is cás liomsa agus ní hiad muintir Hull. Marach an méid atá Cumann Capaillíní Chonamara a dhéanamh le ceird an tsníomhacháin a chothú is eagal liom go mbeadh sé le rá agam ós cóir an Tigh seo gur ghearr go mbeadh an sníomhachán ar an bhfaraor géar. Nuair a theigheas duine go Conamara, cé dhó dtugann sé sundas? Don áilleacht tíre a bhronn Dia orainn. Ach dá mhéad an draoidheacht a bhaineas le beanna maordha Chonamara, agus le n-a leacain sléibhe faoi thaithneamh gréine, siad muintir Chonamara, faoi na gcultacha breagha bréidín is ceann easna, agus a nGaelhilg bhlasta, is mó theigheas i bhfeidhm air, i gcruthúnas go ndeireann leis féin: sin iad na Gaedhil. Sin iad ár muintir fhéin.

Cormac Ua Breisleáin

Níl rún ar bith agam-sa, a Leas-Chinn Comhairle, cur isteach ró-fhada a dhéanamh ar an mheastachán seo acht ba mhaith liom an seans seo a ghlacadh le cómhgáirdeachas a dhéanamh leis an Rúnaí Páirliminte agus leis an Roinn mar gheall ar an obair éifeachtach atá déanta agus atá siad á dhéanamh don Ghaeltacht. Ceist achrannach, ceist chasta, iseadh ceist na Gaeltachta, acht tá rud amháin fíor ó tháinig Rialtas Fianna Fáil i bhfeidhm, agus 'sé sin go bhfuil saoghal i bhfad níos fearr ag muinntir na Gaeltachta anois ná bhí acu faoi Rialtas Chumann na nGaedheal. Geallam do'n Rialtas go bhfuil muinntir na Gaeltachta anbhuidheach díobhtha.

Mr. Brodrick

While the Estimates for Public Services in this country have been increasing year after year, until the figure has now reached £35,000,000, it is rather remarkable that, in spite of all the promises which have been made by the Government to relieve the poorer areas, this is the one Estimate which has been decreasing during the last three years. We see that in 1938-39 the Estimate was for £100,000; in 1939-40 the amount was £96,000, and in the present Estimate the amount is £38,000. I do not profess to know a great lot about the Gaeltacht, but, if the Government are really sincere in their desire to help those people, something more should be done. If we look through the Estimate we will find that for each year the salaries and allowances for the service have increased. I admit that a fair amount has been done for the Gaeltacht, but certainly something more should be done. If we take one heading there, sub-head D (6), the buying of cloth, it will be seen that it has gone down from £70,000 to £61,500. I would appeal to the Parliamentary Secretary to take his job seriously, and to see that those people get the assistance which they need. We know the conditions under which they are living in the present year, and there is a serious lack of seed potatoes in the district. I think a good deal more could be done by that Department. In the Estimate one can see that the salaries and allowances of the officials are still up to a very high mark, and yet inside three years the Estimate has been reduced from £100,000 to £86,000. I think that requires some explanation.

Deputy Childers has asked the Parliamentary Secretary to give serious consideration to the utilisation of kelp. Some few months ago Deputy Mongan showed me some figures which were rather startling. They had relation to the amount of potash that could be produced. It was bought by firms in Galway and if that scheme was then a success, it should be much more successful now. It was carried on for three or four years, and each year the amount paid in wages and the amount of potash produced noticeably increased. The scheme was carried on largely during the last Great War. I cannot understand why a highly successful scheme should not be operated at the present time. As Deputy Childers pointed out, people are prepared to pay more for their potash at the present time, but unfortunately it cannot be procured. There is little use in Ministers advising us to till more when we have not the necessary quantities of manures. If the area of land ploughed at the present time was reduced by one-third, I believe you would have much more production, because you cannot have a proper cultivation of crops unless you have a sufficient quantity of some form of manure put on the land, and particularly on the poor land in the West and South of Eire. That applies especially where people are continuously cropping the land. There are small holdings in the Gaeltacht, some of them with a valuation of 7/6, 5/-, and some as low as 3/-, and how can you expect those people to produce an adequate supply of food?

So far as seaweed is concerned, some 20 or 23 years ago it formed a very big business in the West. It was carted from the shore, and I learned at the time that where people had small holdings along the seashore they were paying foreshore rents. They were able to pay those rents then because there was a good trade in seaweed. The people were getting excellent results through using the seaweed. It used to be carted a long distance. I know of 30 farmers in one district who are anxious to get seaweed for the purpose of producing crops, but they have no method of transporting it from the seashore. I should like to issue a warning to the Parliamentary Secretary. There is a lot of talk about essential services, and we are told that petrol can be used only for essential services. I suggest that the most essential service is the production of food for the people, and every attention should be given to that matter. The Parliamentary Secretary should use his influence with the Minister for Supplies to see that some allowance is made for those people who are anxious to get seaweed for their land, and are prepared to pay well for it, but are prevented from getting it through lack of transport. I appeal to him to have investigations made with regard to the production of potash, as suggested by Deputy Childers and Deputy Mongan.

Gearóid Mac Pártholáin

Cheapfadh duine ó bheith ag éisteacht leis na cainnteóirí thall nach raibh tada déanta do mhuinntir na Gaedhealtachta. Tá tagairt déanta do laghdughadh ar an meastachán mar chruthamhnas air sin. Tá a fhios ag gach duine go bhfuil méadú mór ar an méid airgid atá dá chaitheamh sa nGaedhealtacht anois ag Ranna eile den Stát.

Maidir le ceist na ceilpe, níl aon mhaith a bheith ag déanamh comparáid idir praghas an lae indiu agus an praghas a bhí á fháil le linn an chogaidh dheireannaigh.

Ba é an iodine an príomh-rud a baintí as an gceilp an t-am úd agus ní raibh sí á doghadh le haghaidh potash amháin. Bhí 16/6 an punt ar an iodine annsin. Timcheall 1933 nó 1934 tháinig Chilean Nitrates ar an margadh agus laghduigheadh an praghas síos go dtí 2/6.

Dubhairt cuid de na ceilpeadóirí liom le gairid go bhfuil siad sásta le £5 10s. an tonna, an praghas atá leagtha uirthi i mbliadhna.

I did not intend to say anything on the Estimate, but it is not easy to listen patiently to the position being painted as black as it possibly could be and much blacker than it really is. I am quite satisfied about one thing, that is, that the people in the Gaeltacht are certain that more has been done for them, not alone through this Department, which is very much handicapped as everybody knows, but in various other ways than was done for them previously. With regard to kelp, it is very easy to quote the prices paid now and those paid during the last war. During the last war, kelp went as high as £15 a ton, but we all know that there was a very big demand for iodine at that period, and that the other sources of iodine which have since become available were not then there, or were too far away. While kelp was being burned to extract iodine as a primary product and potash merely as a by-product, it is obvious that the value of kelp then was much greater than now. I cannot discuss with any degree of expert knowledge the economics of the production of potash from kelp, but I have been reliably informed that the burning of kelp for the extraction of potash is not nearly as economic a proposition as burning it for the production of iodine and potash. I think that would be an obvious fact.

Mr. McMenamin

It is wheat, corn and barley we want this year, and not iodine.

Mr. Bartley

I agree with the Deputy, and I complain that undue emphasis is being laid on things that are not quite so essential. I would not say they are non-essentials because kelp is a matter of first-class importance in the Gaeltacht areas, but if the Government are to be asked to pay a dole in the form of an extravagant price for kelp, I would say to them: "If you want to pay a dole in that way, pay it decently, honestly and openly, and do not spoil a trade which will possibly get on its feet later on." The price of £5 and £5 10s. proposed to be paid is regarded by the kelpers in Connemara, at all events, as making it worth their while to gather kelp and burn it. They have told me that themselves within the past month. The only complaint I had in one place was that they were obliged to carry the kelp eight miles to store it, when there was storage available in their own locality, that is, in Renvyle, and I remind the Parliamentary Secretary of recent representations I made to him on that matter.

I referred in Irish to the conflict of opinion on this question of the transportation of dry weed from the seashore to inland places. Deputy Brodrick gives the impression that it is quite an easy matter to bring seaweed from the seashore to almost any inland point. I was at a meeting of parish councils in Recess quite recently. There were delegates there from Recess, Cashel and other places and their views were freely discussed. The Cashel delegates mentioned the minimum figure at which it would pay them to collect the weed at Cashel, and the Recess delegates stated the maximum figure they could afford to pay for it.

There was a big disparity between the two figures, and if there is that disparity between the minimum production cost and the maximum price which people, miles away, can afford to pay, it is obvious that there are big difficulties in the matter of the transportation of weed. I do not wish to be understood as indicating that the Department ought not to try everything possible to surmount these difficulties. I do not say that very much can be done in the matter of making large supplies of seaweed available this season, but I have satisfied myself that every aspect of this question of marine products and everything of intimate concern to the Gaeltacht has received, and is receiving, the very close attention of the Parliamentary Secretary and his officials.

With regard to the tweed industry, I am sorry that it does not concern us in Connemara quite so much as other parts of the Gaeltacht, but I am glad to know, in spite of the adverse criticism we have heard to-night—and I have information from people closely connected with the tweed business— that the tweed industry has been very much improved in recent years. The designs and the output have been improved and Gaeltacht tweeds are products which now stand on their own merits. The Gaeltacht is served as much by other Departments as by this in the matter of the spending of money, the main function of this Department, I take it, being to try to keep going the little industries which always existed there and which are peculiarly suited to the area. There are many difficulties in doing that, and a great many of these industries probably cannot be kept going on an economic basis, but, in my opinion, the Department is justified in losing money in keeping them going in the hope that times may improve.

While doing that, there is a limit beyond which the public purse will not allow them to go, but I am satisfied that wherever a reasonable proposition is put up, it receives the sympatnetic consideration of the Gaeltacht Services Department, which, if it has not written a glorious page, has at least done sufficient to justify its existence and it ought not to be scrapped until something with much greater promise can be put in its place.

I rose, as I said in Irish, to endorse the remarks of Deputy Breslin in support of the Department and as a counter-blast to the jeremiads we have heard about it. I read some speeches recently made at a meeting of parish councils in Maam Cross. While Deputy Keane and myself were not invited to attend that meeting, we got the benefit of the statements made there in the local papers. The statements made there as to the treatment of the Gaeltacht by the present Government, if the people were gullible enough to believe them, would be sufficient to create any amount of discontent amongst the poor, but the poor, I know, in the Gaeltacht areas do not believe these statements. They know that the Government is sympathetic and doing as much as it can to help them. At present, when nobody knows what the future holds, I am quite satisfied, from moving amongst the people, that they feel much more satisfied and secure on their small patches of land, with their potatoes and oats, their banks of turf and their little bit of fishing, than people living in any town in any part of Ireland. In these backward areas, they feel also very much more secure in another way, that is, that if this country should be involved in the war, they will not be in the front line.

They appreciate all these things and if we are looking for a permanent solution of the Gaeltacht problem, in my opinion, that solution cannot be found from resources within the Gaeltacht, no matter what body of men you bring together or what Department you put in charge of it. Even if you develop all the possibilities, all the industries that are native to the place, the fishing, the bogs and all the other things, to their fullest capacity you will still have a very large number of people in those areas below the poverty line. For that reason I have always held, and my opinion is shared very widely by people who have considered this problem thoroughly, that while you have a large number of holdings in the congested areas, the problem will always remain. That brings us back again to the fundamental solution, that is, a considerable reduction in the number of these holdings and the migration of as many people as possible to the good lands while there are still any good lands available. The Land Commission has been dividing land at a fairly rapid rate, and I appeal to this Department to do whatever it can, in conjunction with the major section of the Department, the Land Commission, to ensure that the question of migration is never allowed to be lost sight of. When the maximum amount of migration has been carried out, and not until then, all these Gaeltacht industries will have their full effect.

Mr. Brennan

Might I ask the Deputy a question in order to clarify the position?

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

If the Deputy cares to reply.

Mr. Brennan

He made the statement that during the last war kelp went to £15 a ton because iodine was being extracted from it. I was always under the impression that the kelp in Connemara was bought by a Galway manure firm during the last war. Was iodine extracted from that kelp in Galway?

Mr. Bartley

I could not answer that question, but I can assure the Deputy that the extraction of iodine was the major purpose for which the kelp was burned, and not for manurial purposes. The potash in those days, according to my information, was a by-product. At all events, there was a double purpose served—the extraction of iodine and the production of potash. Now I understand it has to be burned for the production of potash alone and obviously the price cannot be as high as when two products were being got from it.

Mr. Brennan

My contention is that the kelp was bought by a Galway firm and that there was no Galway firm extracting iodine. If it was bought, it was not bought for iodine.

Mr. Bartley

The Galway firm, I understand, was buying as an agent.

Seosamh Ó Mongáin

Caithfe mé é seo a mhíniú. An méid ceilpe a ceannuigheadh i nGaillimh i rith an chogaidh dheiridh, ní dheachaidh an oiread is unsa fhéin di in iodine. Chuile bhlas dhi is leasú a rinneadh dhi. Níl ann ach ag iarraidh bheith ag caitheamh gaineamh faoi n-ár súile anois.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Tá an cheist socruithe anois.

Mr. O'Donovan

The last Deputy who spoke said he is satisfied with the amount provided in this Estimate, but I wonder if the people of the Gaeltacht in general are satisfied to see the amount down by practically £12,000 from two years ago? It is a great pity to find at this time the Estimate reduced. To my mind, this is the one Estimate out of the 72 in the Book in which there should not be a reduction. I criticise expenditure in many of the other Estimates, but this is an Estimate on which, in existing conditions, there should be increased expenditure, and it is a great pity that, now when the opportunity offers, there should be a decrease in it. Take, for instance, the item to which Deputy McMenamin referred, the toy industry. That is an industry that could be developed. We got toys from Japan and from Central Europe, and these will not now come in. Our kiddies will want the toys, and the toy industry is one which could be developed, and which would bring in a lot of money to the Gaeltacht.

The principal matter to which I want to refer, and which has been referred to by every Deputy, is the matter of kelp and seaweed. When there is an absolute famine in artificial manures, when we are trying to produce food, when we have appeals from all quarters to produce food, and an endeavour being made by everybody to produce as much as possible—we do not feel the need for it so much this year because we have a certain quantity of manure on hands, but we shall have no phosphatic manures next year, and neither will we have any nitrogenous manures next year, and the only thing we can fall back on is potash, of which we have thousands of tons along our seaboard, and we have our people idle along our seaboard—why, in the name of God, when there is such a demand for it, when it is absolutely necessary that we should have potash in some shape or form for the production of a good quality eating potato, for the production of suitable wheat for milling, for the production of sugar beet, or the production of any crop, do we not use the potash available in the kelp and seaweed combination? There is in seaweed a complete manure, and it is going to waste along our seaboard, while our people there are idle.

The explanatory memorandum in connection with this Estimate sets out that provision is made for the purchase of 800 tons of kelp this year. How far will 800 tons go? What employment will it give? Reference was made by the Deputy for Galway to a meeting held in that county. I happen to have seen the report of that meeting, and it is extraordinary that the men who will bear the brunt of this, who will have to go out to sea in the cold and wet, and face all sorts of weather, will get only about 2/- a day for their work. I am satisfied that they are not very far out in the statement that these men will have to work for about 2/- a day, while those on the sheltered side, the storage, grinding, screening and bagging will get the most of the £10,000 allowed. They will get the lion's share of it, while the poor fellows who go out to sea will get 2/- a day. It would not give them "scratch cabbage" for their dinner, and I suppose everybody knows what "scratch cabbage" is. It is ridiculous, at this time of stress and strain, with the stuff available at our doors and with the people willing and anxious to do their bit, that the Government would not step in and do everything to encourage the production of food for next year by providing the wherewithal in the shape of potassic manure.

I see in this explanatory statement that provision is made for the purchase only of 800 tons of kelp, but it is stated that it is understood that all kelp available will be bought. I wonder what is meant by that. Is it that if there are more than 800 tons produced money will be provided to buy it? If that is so, I should like the Parliamentary Secretary to stress it, so that publicity would be given to the fact that if more kelp than the 800 tons is available it will be bought, irrespective of the amount. It is important that that should receive full publicity because there are people who would be very anxious to gather seaweed and burn it for kelp if they were sure it would be bought. I put a question to the Minister for Agriculture about a month ago about the encouragement of the kelp industry and about trying to commence the seaweed harvest in this month and the month of May—the two months in which the weed is at its best. He said that, if there were no extraction of iodine, the harvesting of seaweed for kelp would be an uneconomic proposition. I think he said that kelp would be selling at 8/- or 9/- a cwt. The Department of Agriculture are at present advertising supplies of muriate of potash for flax-growers at £1 per cwt. I would guarantee that there would be as much potash in the kelp we would manufacture as there is in that muriate of potash advertised at £1 per cwt. If farmers were sure of getting their share of kelp they would be prepared to pay a little extra for the advantage. I hope the Parliamentary Secretary will stress that point—that all the kelp harvested and burned this year will be bought.

My next point is as regards carrageen. The incidental expenses are very high. There is very little left for the actual workers after the costs of handling are deducted. Some people get all the advantage, and the people who have to go out on the rocks and collect the carrageen get nothing out of it. Ten or 12 years ago, the Government of the day advertised the food value of carrageen. I suggest to the Parliamentary Secretary that he should encourage the use of carrageen by advertising in the same fashion as is done in connection with potatoes, wheat, beet, oats and barley. Carrageen should be better advertised, and I believe there would be little difficulty in getting a good export market if the matter were properly handled. There are hundreds of tons of carrageen available for the gathering if the Parliamentary Secretary would take his courage in his hands and tackle the problem. It is a pity that these things, which may be small in their way, are not properly developed because they could give help to people who are badly in need of it, and would set money circulating amongst the sections where it is most desirable it should circulate.

With regard to the question raised by Deputy Brennan, I know that McDonagh's, of Galway, during the last war extracted no iodine from the seaweed. It was used solely for the production of potash as manure. Why should anybody, then, put up the excuse that if iodine is not extracted the production of kelp will be uneconomic? I do not remember the price paid for kelp during the last war. I know that prices for manures and everything else soared higher than they did during this war, but I do not think that the price of kelp was at all as high as the price advertised for muriate of potash for flax-growers to-day. This matter is of the utmost importance to the country. Both the gathering and the transport of the weed are of importance. It should be regarded as one of the essential services, and petrol should be made available for transport so that the weed can be brought inland wherever it is required. The Parliamentary Secretary will, in the course of the year, bring in a Supplementary Estimate. I hope that when the main Estimate comes before us next year we shall have the satisfaction of saying that we had sufficient potash to grow all the crops we wanted.

Seán O Catháin

Cluinimuid a lán cainnte faoi cheilp na laethe seo. Ach, chomh fada agus tá a fhios agam, níor dóghadh an cheilp ariamh ar son an aoiligh amháin ach ar son an iodín atá inti. Na daoine atá ar an taoibh thall tá go leor cainte acu maidir leis an nGaeltacht. Ach ní raibh siad choh-imnidheach 10 bliana ó shoin. Tá eagla orm go bhfuil a lán hypocrisy ag baint leis an gcaint seo ag Fine Gaedheal i dtaobh muintir na Gaeltachta. Má tá an méid airgid san obair seo agus adeir na Teachtaí thall, cad chuige nach bhfuil na daoine ag dóghadh na ceilpe ar a son féin? Táim ag éisteacht le cainnt mar seo ó thainig mé annseo. Dubhairt duine de na Teachtaí thall ag cruinnú ag Cros-Bhóthar an Mháma tamaillín o shoin go raibh an Riaghaltas chó holc le Cromwell. Tá a fhios ag muintir na Gaeltacht gur cuireadh Cromwell as an nGaeltacht deich mbliana o shoin agus tá a fhios acu freisin go dtiubhraidh an Riaghaltas atá ann anois curam maith dhóibh.

Michael Óg Mac Phaidín

Bheirim mo bheannacht do'n mheastachán so gidh gur beag liom é ar shon Seirbhisí na Gaedhealtachta nuair atchidhim na milliúin atá dá gceitheamh chomh réidh againn ar na Seirbhisí eile.

Sé mo bharamhail se, gur cheart níos mó airgid a chaitheamh ar thionnscail sa Ghaedhealtacht agus gan iad a bheith go léir ins na bailte móra. Bhéarfadh an t-airgead sin tóradh céadthach. Chongbhóchadh sin na cainnteoirí duthchais sa bhaile agus níor bhaoghal do'n teanga annsin. Ní bhéadh daoine ag tréigint na tuatha agus ag dul go dtí na cathracha agus ní bheadh na cathracha pladuighthe le daoine díomhaoine mar tá. Níl mé ag cainnt anois ar oibreacha fóirthine ach ar oibreacha seasmhacha a mbéadh bun agus dubhraith leo agus a bhéarfadh saothrú ó bhliadhain go bliadhain do mhuinntir na Gaedhealtachta.

Dá mbéadh tuilleadh tionnscail againn san Ghaedhealtacht mar an fhigheadóireacht agus an chniotáil ní bheadh eagla roimh chruaidhteain no ocras ar na daoine bochta.

Tá mé 'dréim go ndéanfaidh an Roinn iarraidh speisialta saothrú fóirstineach d'fhághail do aos óg na Gaedhealtachta le linn an chogaidh seo. Níl caoi aca a dhul go Sasain nó Albain mar ghníodh siad acht tá siad réidh le greim a mbéil a shaothrú sa bhaile má tá an saothrú ar fághail.

Badh mhaith liom go mbéadh níos mó airgid sin mheastachán seo. Nuair a dhearcamuid ar fhoraoiseacht cur i gcas, tá níos mó 'ná dhá oiread curtha i leith dó as atá do Sheirbhisí na Gaedhealtachta. Cia aca de'n bheirt is tábhachtaighe don tír agus do Ghaedhealachais na tíre? Sin é an fáth adeirim nach bhfuil an Ghaedheal tacht ag fághail cothrom na Féinne. Bhí sí fada go leór gan mheas gan áird agus níor cheart go ndéanfadh Rialtas Gaedheal dearmad uirthi anois. Níl amhras nach bhfuil obair mhór dá dhéanamh don fhigheadóireacht i nDún na nGall. Tá súil agam go gcuirfear leis an obair seo agus go leathnófar amach é.

Tá iongantas orm chomh fadálach is tá an Roinn agus Bórd na nOibreach Poiblidhe ag tógáil an mhonarcha sníomhachain i gCill Chártha. Tá an mhonarca seo eadar lámha le dhá bhliadhain anois agus níor tosuigheadh uirthi go foill. Tá snáth ag éirigh gann agus cuid de na fighdheóirí díomhaoin agus níor leagadh cloch ar an mhonarchain sníomhachain. Cluinim go gcuirfear tús uirthi gan mhoill. Is fearr go mall no go bráth.

Badh chóir go mbéadh na hinnill agus gach rud eile a bhí riacthanach do'n mhonarchain seo ceannuighthe, stórálta annseo in Éirinn bliadhain ó shoin, mar tá na gléasraidhe seo i dul i ndaoirse gach lá le siocair an chogaidh.

Támuid ag fanacht go foighdeach leis an mhonarchain seo i dTír Chonaill. Tá seóil again nuair a bhéas sí faoí lánréimh seóil go mbeidh tionnscail amháin bunuighthe go daingean againn sa Ghaedhealtacht agus go dtiocfaidh tuilleadh mar é 'na dhiadh i ngach cearn de'n Ghaedhealtacht.

Mr. Linehan

I am afraid the Parliamentary Secretary will not be in a position to carry out a seaweed scheme on as wide a basis as really ought to be done, because, after all, his jurisdiction extends only over the Gaeltacht area as far as this particular service is concerned, while everybody knows that there is as much seaweed on the shores of the rest of Ireland as there is in that area. My suggestion is that this is a matter that could not be dealt with solely by this Department, and that the best day's work, so far as the supplying of fertilisers is concerned, the Parliamentary Secretary could do is, in co-ordination with the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Supplies, to adopt a general scheme for the whole country. Of course, in the Gaeltacht areas there are possibly more people available for employment at that work than in some of the other areas; but in all the coastal areas there are a number of people available for it. If the scheme is to be worth while it will have to be carried out on a big scale. There is very little use in tackling it in such a way that manure will only be available in small quantities in some areas and not available at all in others. The inland areas will be as much in need of manure as the seaboard areas.

It will be a matter for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Supplies to co-operate in getting the material and delivering it to the central areas. My experience is that, owing to the shortage of artificial manure, people have dropped certain types of crops and put in other crops, and very often it is the most necessary crops, such as seed potatoes and sugar beet, that are dropped, because it is necessary to have artificial manure for these. I think the Parliamentary Secretary could do a really good job if he got in touch with the Minister for Agriculture and the Minister for Supplies and tried to have a scheme adopted whereby every available ton of seaweed will be got this year and made available for next year.

So far as transport is concerned, there may be difficulties in getting petrol, but to my mind the providing of transport for such a scheme would be just as necessary as for the delivery of turf, because I believe that next year we will be facing a situation in which, in the central areas, people who want to sow crops like seed potatoes, wheat and beet will have no possibility of getting any manure.

If the manure is there on our seaboard, such a scheme would be just as valuable, to my mind, as the turf production scheme. There will be people available for work, and we should get co-operation from everybody. If the people on the seaboard and within reasonable distance of it try to get delivery as best they can with horses and carts, it should be very easy to provide for the delivery inland by making arrangements for transport.

As to the toy industry, the only thing I know about it is that I heard people say last Christmas that toys were very dear. As to the truth of that I do not know. As far as the retail shops in the cities are concerned, everyone I heard speak about the matter said that ridiculously high prices were charged for toys. I have been shown small toys in which there was not very much material for which very high prices were charged. Whether that is the responsibility of this Department or not I do not know. I should also like to know whether there is any particular mark on the toys made in the Gaeltacht factories by which they could be identified.

I asked a number of people who had bought small wooden and other toys if they knew whether they were made in the Gaeltacht. They said that they looked at a number of articles in the shop but could not find anything on them by which to identify them. They agreed, however, that they were very dear. So far as I know, even in the smaller shops in the country where dearer toys would not generally be sold, the cheaper toys that they would normally sell around Christmas were not available this year. I am giving that information for what it is worth and I ask the Parliamentary Secretary to look into the matter.

The other point I want to refer to is one which I have mentioned on other occasions, and that is the necessity for a campaign for the increased sale of our own tweeds inside the country. I believe the ladies are doing their part and buying Gaeltacht tweeds in a far greater proportion than the men. I am afraid that until we get over the mentality that exists, particularly in the rural areas and small country towns, with regard to a conservative type of clothes for men, we will not get very much extra sale for Gaeltacht tweeds there. In these areas they stick rigidly to the "Sunday blue" and no attempt is made to popularise Gaeltacht tweeds for men.

So far as the ladies are concerned, they will be in the fashion, but men and boys in comparatively poor circumstances pay extremely high prices for blue serge suits, when for the same money they could buy a very good suit of Gaeltacht tweed. I think the main reason is that young fellows do not want to be too different from their neighbours and will not break out into a new style in their own small townlands. A little bit of encouragement by way of advertising might help a lot in this matter. Would the Parliamentary Secretary say if there is much demand from traders in small country towns for these tweeds? I do not think that they push the sale of Irish tweeds in these country towns. The tendency is to carry on as their fathers and grandfathers did before them. I think an intensified campaign of publicity in the rural areas would help a lot in this matter. If the men did as much, from the point of view of buying them, as the ladies are doing, the Department would probably sell a lot more of these Gaeltacht tweeds.

Mr. Nally

I was surprised to hear a Fianna Fáil Deputy make an appeal to the Parliamentary Secretary not to scrap the Gaeltacht services. Things must be very bad indeed with these services when such an appeal comes from the Fianna Fáil Benches. I find that the amount of wages disbursed each year in connection with these services has progressively increased since 1935. In 1935-36 the amount disbursed was £9,802; in 1936-37, £12,768; in 1937-38, £14,680; in 1938-39, £18,766; in 1939-40, £26,301. The amount estimated for 1940-41 was £37,000, and this year's Estimate is £40,700. It will be seen from these figures how important it is for the people of the Gaeltacht that those industries should be kept going, particularly at the present time. I am in thorough agreement with those who say they should be kept going. I wonder, however, are we getting value for the money voted? On Saturday last the Taoiseach addressed a meeting of represenatives of parish councils in the County Mayo at Castlebar. That meeting was representative of the Fíor-Ghaeltacht and the Breac-Ghaeltacht. In the course of his address he promised that employment was going to be given for 70,000 people on the bogs and in tilling the arable land of the area. In spite of that, two days later—yesterday— 900 young men left the County Mayo for work in England, practically all of them from the Gaeltacht districts. That fact, in itself, is proof that they are not satisfied with present conditions.

Much play has been made about events of ten or 20 years ago at a time when iodine was being manufactured from kelp, when the price of iodine was 16/9 per lb. To-day the price is 8/3: hence the difference. We have made arrangements with the firm mentioned. While in business they found it profitable to pay £15 or £20 a ton ten or 20 years ago and there is no difficulty preventing them from doing so now. Apart from that, we have also entered into an arrangement with two other firms in the West. These have undertaken to purchase seaweed, which is being used for another purpose. These two firms have come into the business in recent years and every help which my Department can give to them and to the other firms previously referred to is being given. I believe it is the better policy to induce firms like that to go into this or any other business in the Gaeltacht than for any Department of State to undertake the work directly.

I believe it was Deputy Linehan who referred to the price of toys. I should like to correct the Deputy in that respect. In my opinion the toys are not dear. That is also the opinion of people in the trade who know a considerable amount about toys. The course I would like to pursue is to increase the price of toys and to pay an even higher wage to the workers than obtains at present. The price is based on the cost of production—on the wages paid, the cost of materials and a certain allowance for overheads. After all, toys—especially good toys—are more or less a luxury article, and I believe the people engaged in the manufacture of luxury articles should be paid a fairly good wage.

Some Deputies seemed to be under the impression that we were making inadequate provision for the continuation of the toy industry this year. That is not so. The sales of toys last year —I am sure many people will be interested to know—was almost £26,000. I consider that that is a fairly decent turnover for an industry recently established. As a matter of fact, it was only in recent days that the new factory was completed and in process of taking over at Elly Bay. Unfortunately, the previous building there was burned down and the Department had to take over the place and with their own men rebuild that factory. They have made a fairly decent job of it in a reasonably short space of time, and that is a bit unusual where Government Departments are concerned. Personally, I am very pleased with the progress made in the toy industry and with the erection of that toy factory.

In connection with another factory at Kilcar, we have been experiencing some difficulties with the establishment of the spinning mill, firstly, in securing the advice of a proper technician. Having secured a suitable technician, some considerable time was lost in negotiating as to the lay-out of the factory and the different machines which would be necessary. However, that matter also is being pursued and no time will be lost. We hope to go ahead with the erection of the factory as speedily as possible. I move to report progress.

Progress reported; Committee to sit again.

The Dáil adjourned at 10.30 p.m. till Thursday, 24th April, at 3 p.m.

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht - Wednesday, 23 Apr 1941