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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 13 Jun 1950

Vol. 121 No. 11

Vote 49—Gaeltacht Services (Resumed).

Nuair a bhí mé ag caint ar an Meastachán seo ar an 23ú Bealtaine bhí mé ag tagairt do mholadh a rinneadh ag Teachta ar an dtaobh thall chun dream éigint a chur ar bun ar nós Bord na gCeantar Cumhang. Tá mé ag cuimhneamh ar an deacracht a bheadh ann a leithéid de mholadh a chur ag obair anois. Do lua mé cuid de na sheirbhísí a fhreastalaíonn ar an nGaeltacht—cuid acu atá i bhfad níos tábhtachtaí ná Seirbhísí na Gaeltachta iad fhéin. Tá mé ag ceapadh, má bhreathnaíonn aon duine ar an gceist seo go bhfeicfidh sé go bhfuil sé cosúil le rialtas nua a bheadh ar bun leis an leas atá molta ag na daoine a dhéanamh don nGaeltacht. Dar ndóigh, nílmíd ag iarraidh aon tsaghas eile partition a dhéanamh ins an tír agus níl muintear na Gaeltachta ag iarraidh bheith faoi rialú fé leith. Teastaíonn uathu bheith páirteach comh maith leis an chuid eile san náisiúin Ghaelach agus ní dóigh liom go bhfuil siad ag iarraidh aon rud mar sin agus ní dóigh liom go bhfuil gá le aon saghas rud mar sin chun leas na Gaeltachta do chur chun cinn.

Bhí mé ag caint faoi thagairt a rinneadh anseo ag cainteoir ón dtaobh thall den Tigh go mba í seo an tsuim airgid ba mhó a soláthraiodh go nuige seo don nGaeltacht. Thóg mé féin ceist faoi sin. Do chur duine éigin isteach orm agus d'fhiafraigh sé díom arbh fhéidir liom é do bhreagnú. Ar ndóigh, bíodh is nach bhfuilimíd ag iarraidh coimhlint lena chéile ach amháin le leas na Gaeltachta do chur chun cinn, mar sin féin má tá faillí déanta ar mhuintear na Gaeltachta ní féidir an faobhar a bhaint den fhaillí sin le pointí beaga díospóireachta a déantar faoi méid an tsuim airgid atá á shólathár anois agus a soláthraíodh cheana. Ba chóir na figiúirí do thabhairt le haghaidh an bhliain deireannach a bhí Fianna Fáil i réim. Ó Leabhar Meastachán tá sé le feiceáil ag aon duine a thógann an trioblóid air féin breathnú air, go raibh beagnach £400,000 ins an Meastachán le haghaidh na bliana 1948-49—agus an tiomlán ar fad i Leabhar na Meastachán le haghaidh na bliana sin, dob é £72,000,000 é. I mbliana tá laghdú de £50,000 ar an méid airgead sin sa méid atá á sholáthair, agus tá iomlán an Leabhar ar fad árduithe go £78,000,000. Taispáineann sé sin go raibh an tsuim fén gcéad, nuair a bhí Fianna Fáil i réim, níos aoirde ná an tsuim atá á sholáthar i mbliana. Bíodh sin mar atá, fé mar adúirt mé, níl aon mhaith bheith ag deánamh coimhlint mar seo agus ní maith liom é gur tugadh isteach é. 'Sí an pointe is tábhachtaí sa Mheastachán seo, i gcónaí agus i mbliana, ná go mbreathnaíonn sé go bhfuil i bhfad níos mó ag dul do chostas riaracháin ná mar ba chóir. Mar shompla, tá dá chuid den Mheastachán ag dul do mhuintir na Gaeltachta agus trí chuid de ag dul do chostas riarcháin ar an nGaeltacht. Níl mé ag cur aon mhilleáin ar an Aire faoi sin mar is é an córus oibrithe atá ann atá ciontach leis. Ach má tá daoine ag iarraidh cás a dhéanamh faoin dream a bhí in oifig go dtí dhá bhliain ó shoin tá freagra le tabhairt air agus tá dualgas orainn an freagra sin a thabhairt. Do laghdaíodh ar an tsuim airgid atá ag dul do na daoinibh ó anuraidh. Tóg mar shampla tionscail na tuaithe. Anuraidh, do réir na figiúirí, do soláthraíodh £209,000 agus tá sé sin anuas imbliana go dtí £201,000. Sin laghdú de £8,000 an méid atá ag dul dóibh. Tá tionscail na gcladach gearrtha anuas ó anuraidh freisin. Ón méid sin go léir, chím ón Leabhar nach bhfuil ag dul don oibrí ach £71,000. Nílim, fé mar adúirt mé, ag fáil locht ar Sheirbhísí na Gaeltachta. Tá fhios agam go rí-mhaith chomh deacair is atá sé tionscail do chothabháil sna háiteanna sin. Nuair a bhí an t-Aire ag tabhairt isteach an Meastachán seo sa Dáil ní dúirt sé cé mhéad daoine atá ag obair sna hionaid cniotála, agus eile, agus ba mhaith liom an teolas sin d'fháil uaidh nuair a bheidh sé ag tabhairt freagra ar an ndíospóireacht seo.

Níl ins an Meastachán seo acht dhá rud a scarann airgead ar mhuintear na Gaeltachta—an tionscail tuaithe agus an tionscal cladaigh. Le dhá bhliain anois tá laghdú mór ar an tsuim airgead a scaptar ar fud na Gaeltachta ón dá rud sin. Rinne an tAire beagan gaisce as luach na slata mara a árdú go £4 10s. an tonna. Ní dóigh liom féin gur ábhar gaisce é sin. Más eadh ba mhaith liom a insint don Aire an sciolladh a fuair mé féin riomh an gcogadh nuair a dúirt mé anseo sa Dáil go raibh luach de £3 10s. an tonna réasúnta maith. Scapadh an scéal ar fud Chonamara go raibh mé ag iarraidh luach na feamainne a choinneáil anuas agus go ndúirt mé anseo gur leór sin, agus nach raibh mé ag iarraidh níos mó ná £3 10s. a thabhairt do lucht na feamainne. Cé déarfadh anois go bhfuil £4 10s. chomh maith i mbliana le £3 10s. roimh an gcogadh?

Is maith liom go raibh se le haithri go raibh sé gafa suas rud beag. Níl sé cho maith leis an bpraghas a bhí le fáil roimh an gcogadh. Ar ndóigh, sin comórtas is ceart a dhéanamh freisin, idir an méid a caithtear anois agus an méid a caitheadh roimh an gcogadh. Caithfear luach an airgid a thabhairt isteach sa chuntas.

Tá rudaí a rinne, mar adúirt mé leas-maith don Ghaeltacht agus tá aiféal orm go bhfuil cuid aca i meath nó go bhfuil siad stopaithe. Tá's agamsa nach bhfuil airgead sa Meastachán seo lena n-aghaidh ach tugann an Ceann Comhairle, ar an Meastachán seo, cead do dhaoine tagairt a dhéanamh do na seirbhísí eile atá ag déanamh leas na Gaeltachta agus na seirbhísí atá, nó ba cheart go mbeadh, Seirbhísí na Gaeltachta mar cheangal eatorthú. Bé mo thuairim féin, cuirim i gcás, maidir leis an Act Parlaiminte a bhaineas le iasachtaí a thabhairt do na daoine ins an Ghaeltacht le seomraí breise a thógáil le daoine a choinneáil sa Samhradh, go bhféadfadh an Roinn seo an-chuidiú a thabhairt do mhuintir na Gaeltachta le buntáistí a bhaint as an Acht sin. Ba cheart, freisin, go mbeadh cúnamh na Roinne seo le fáil ag an nGaeltacht le buntáistí a bhaint as an Údarás Forbartha Tionscail a cuireadh ar bun le goirid le tionscail nua a bhunú ins an nGaeltacht. Ba cheart, freisin, go gcuirfeadh an Roinn seo fá bhráid Roinn na Talmhaíochta go bhfuil seirbhísí éigin stopaithe ins an nGaeltacht a rinneadh leas ann, sin é míntíriú na talún. Tá an-chaint faoi scéim mór míntíriú a bhfuil suas le £40,000,000 le caitheadh air. Is é an chuid is aistí den scéal sin go bhfuil an cineál oibre a bhí ar siúl sa Ghaeltacht stopaithe ar fad agus nach bhfuil an deontas beag a bhí le fáil as acra nó dha acra talún a mhíntíriú le fáil anois. Ní fadó ó scríobh mé chuig Roinn na Talmhaíochta agus a dúradh liom gur cuireadh ar ceal é.

Ba cheart, freisin, go mbeadh cúnamh na Roinne seo le fáil ag na coistí áitiúla i ngach paráiste sa Ghaeltacht le deontas nó airgead fháil ar iasacht le hallaí a chur ar bun áit ar bith a bhfuil coiste ann le cúram ceart a thabhairt dá leithéid. Ba cheart, freisin, go mbeadh cúnamh na Roinne seo le fáil nuair atá aon dream eile den Rialtas ag bagairt ar sheirbhís ar bith atá ann agus atá ag iarraidh an leas sin a chosaint agus a choinneáil ar siúl i gcónaí.

Ba cheart, freisin, go mbéadh a fhios ag an Roinn seo an méid dochair a rinneadh do mhuintir na Gaeltachta de bharr tionscail na móna lámhbhainte a stopadh, agus ba cheart go mbeadh a fhios ag an Roinn dá dtugtaí deontas don tionscal sin go bhféadfaí é choinneáil ar bun i gcónaí sna bailtí in aice na bportach. Ar ndóigh, tá margadh na móna le fáil istigh i gcathair na Gaillimhe agus sna bailte móra san Iarthar.

Do deineadh an scéal sin a phlé ar feadh i bhfad ar Meastachán eile.

Níl an locht ar an Aire seo, pé scéal é.

Sé an cás a bhí mé a dhéanamh, a Chinn Chomhairle, nach gceapann aoinne sa Tigh, is nár cheap ariamh, go bhféadfaían Roinn seo leas iomlán na Gaeltachta a dhéanamh as an méid airgid a soláthraítear sa Meastachán seo. Níl ann ach dhá rud— tionscail tuaithe agus tionscail Chladaigh. Léifidh mé amach an méid a caithtear ar an dá rud sin le leas na Gaeltachta a dhéanamh i mbliana: Ar thionscail na tuaithe, ní scaipfear ar mhuintir na Gaeltachta ach £71,000 agus ar thionscal Chladaigh, £19,000 nó £90,000 ar fad. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil ós cionn £300,000 soláthraítear sa Meastachán seo ach ní dóigh liom gur ceart seirbhísí Gaeltachta a thabhairt orthu. Tagann gach duine isteach sa Teach agus tosaíonn sé ag cur síos ar an nGaeltacht agus ar an méid seirbhísí atá sa Leabhar seo. Tionscail na feamainne agus na cniotála níl siad ar fad sa Ghaeltacht. Is ar mhaithe le muintir na Roinne seo atá mé ag caint mar tá a fhios agam go bhfuil gach Teachta ag brath orthu leis an Ghaeltacht a shábháil. Sé an cás atá mé a dhéanamh nach bhfuil an t-eagar ceart ar an Óifig le sin a dhéanamh, nach bhfuil an fhoireann aca le sin a dhéanamh agus, an chuid is tábhachtaí, nach bhfuil an t-airgead acu le sin a dhéanamh, agus, ar ndóigh, is fánach a bheith ag cur síos ar shábháil na Gaeltachta agus an méidín beag airgid sa Meastachán.

Tá an ceart agat mar gheall ar sin.

Sé atá mé a rá go bhfuil na Ranna Stáit eile ag déanamh i bhfad níos mó mar tá an bealach aca é dhéanamh—Seirbhís Oideachais, Seirbhís Leasa Shóisialaigh, Tionscail agus Tráchtála.

Tá an tairgead acu le freastal ar mhuintir na Gaeltachta agus ní ceart é dulgas a chur fé Sheirbhísí na Gaeltachta ar an Meastachán so, beag nó mór, mar nách bhfuil deis acu é a chomhlíonadh.

Tá rud amháin a cuireadh ar bun sa tír a cabhaireos leis an Roinn seo le tuille a dhéanamh i dtaobh tionscal tuaithe a chur ar bun—tagraim do aibhléisiú na tíre. Díreach tar éis an chogaidh, chuir an E.S.B. an obair sin ar aghaidh. I 1945 nó 1946 fuaireamar an tuarascáil sin fé aibhléisiú na tíre. Tá an obair sin ag dul ar aghaidh ó shoin i leith agus is obair mhaith. Chuir sé áthas orainn nár cuireadh deireadh leis an scéim sin mar cuireadh deire le scéim na móna. Tá sé ag brugh isteach siar sa Ghaeltacht anois agus táimid ag súil sa Ghaeltacht go dtiocfaidh rud maith as. Tá díombá orainn nach raibh tuarascáil an E.S.B. fábharach, do réir na suirbhéarachta, i dtaobh an chumhacht uisce sa cheantar sin. Duirt an tAire Tionscail agus Tráchtála nach raibh ann ach "preliminary report," ach nuair chuir mé an tarna cheist air níor thug sé mórán dochais dom. Níl an locht ar an E.S.B. mura bhfuil an chumhacht uisce ann. B'fhéidir go bhféadfaí an chumhacht uisce a sholáthar le slám mór airgid a chaitheamh, ach sin ceist eile. Ar chuma ar bith, go dtí go mbeidh an chumhacht leictreachais ann, is dócha nach mbeidh an deis ag Seirbhísí na Gaeltachta leathnú amach a dhéanamh ar na tionscail atá ann cheana. Mhol mé, agus molaim arís, iad as an méid atá siad a dhéanamh.

Ba mhaith liom tagairt do locht fé leith a bhaineas le tionscal cniotála. Tosaíonn na cailíní ag obair ar a 9 a chlog ar maidin agus bíonn siad ag cniotáil i rith an lae agus an chuid is mó den am bíonn siad ina seasamh. Ní fada an sos a bhíonn acu i rith an ama sin. Bíonn sos acu le haghaidh dinnéar. Tógann siad abhaile leo sa tráthnóna an méid stocaí atá cniotálta acu ar feadh an lae agus annsin, tar éis tae, caithfidh siad tosnú arís agus na stocaí sin a fhúáil, agus iad a thabhairt arais go dtí an t-ionad lá arna mháireach. Bíonn síad ag obair ag fúáil sa bhaile mar sin go méan oíche agus bíonn sé sin go cruaidh ortha. Tuigim go bhfuil maisín ag cuid de na háiteanna leis an bhfúáil sin a dhéanamh. Tá mé ag moladh don Aire go soláthrófaí na maisíní fúála sin, i riocht is go mbeidh an obair sin dhá dhéanamh san ionad i rith an lae agus go mbeadh an tráthnóna tar éis tae saor ag na cailíní le siúl amach is an t-aer a thógáil. Is dona an rud é go mbeadh cailíní óga istigh ag obair ón a 9 a chlog ar maidean go dtí déanach san oíche. Tá meas acu ar an obair agus teastaíonn an saothrú uatha. Is fearr punt sna háiteacha sin ná an méid céanna i mBaile Atha Cliath.

An bhfuil an t-eolas sin i gceart ag an Teachta?

Sin é an t-eolas atá agam, ar aon chuma.

Céard é an leigheas s fearr air?

Tuigim go bhfuil maisiní fúála i gcuid de na háiteacha agus deinti an fúáil ar na maisíní sin i riocht is go ndéanfaí an obair sin sna monarchana i rith an lae agus ní bhíonn ar na cailíní bheith ag obair san oíche.

Nó dul amach ar stailc.

Ní dream stailce iad, ach dream go bhfuil meas acu ar an obair agus dream a chuireann an tairgead i bhfad níos fuide ná cuireann daoine sna cathracha é.

Aontaím go deimhin leis an Teachta.

Ní dream caithteach iad agus éinní dá saothraíonn siad, téann sé isteach in ioncam an teallaigh.

Tá cuid den Meastachán curtha i leataoibh le tithe a dhéanamh. Tá a fhíos ag an Aire é féin, gidh go bhfuil an rannóg seo ag iarraidh tithe nua a sholáthar, go bhfuil cuid eile den Roinn céanna ag coinneáil na hoibre sin siar. An chuid is mó de na gabháltaisí ins an nGaeltacht, an chuid is mó de na heastáit, tá siad measctha suas agus teastaíonn athshocrú a dhéanamh orthu. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil cuid mhaith de na heastáit sin nach féidir iad a shocrú gan cuid de na tionóntaí a athrú as. Tá cuid eile agus is féidir iad a shocrú gan é sin a dhéanamh. Má cuireann duine isteach ar theach nua agus má tá an áit le socrú, geobhaidh an fear sin freagra ar ais ag rá nach féidir deontas nó iasacht a thabhairt leis an teach a dhéanamh go dtí go mbeidh an áit socraithe ag Coimisiún na Talún.

Tá an scéal sin amhlaidh le fada an lá agus ar ndóigh níl an locht ar an Aire seo ach an oiread le Aire ar bith eile a tháinig roimhe. Tá fhios ag muintir Sheirbhísí na Gaeltachta go bhfuil mé ag inseacht na fírinne. Más féidir le Seirbhísí na Gaeltachta aon chúnamh a thabhairt leis an fhadhb sin a réiteach béidh siad ag déanamh leas na Gaeltachta. Ar ndóigh, ní haon charnán airgid atá ghá sholáthar i mbliana, le tithe a dhéanamh. Ní thógfaidh an méid atá sa Leabhar Meastachán ach céad agus trí scór teach—sin má caitear ar fad é. Cuirfear cuid de na daoine seo siar arís de bharr na faidh be a bhfuil tagairt déanta di agam anois.

Tá fhios agam go bhfuil tionsca an bhréidín gaite anuas ar fad le tamall. Soláthraíodh anuiridh £11,000 agus i mbliana níl soláthraithe ach £275. Níl ann ach go bhfuil an t-seirbhís sin luaite sa leabhar. Ba mhaith liom a fháil amach ón Aire nuair a bheas sé ag cur deire leis an díospóireacht seo céard a thárla de bharr an aontais a rinneadh idir an tír seo agus an Fhrainc i dtaobh margadh a fháil sa tír sin don bhréidín. Rinneadh gaisge mór as an aontas sin i dtús báire ach is beag a bhí le cloisteáil againn ó shoin i leith faoi. Tá sé fíor-riachtanach breathnú thart i dtíir éigin le margadh a fháil don seantionscal sin.

Ba mhaith liom freisin a fháil amach ón Aire nuair a bheas sé ag caint céard is ciontach le tionscal na múnlaithe luaidh a stopadh. Caitheadh níos mó ná dhá scór oibrithe as obair thiar sa Spidéal. Gheall an tAire dhúinn go soláthrófaí fostaíocht dóibh ar thionscal éigin eile agus ba mhaith liom a fháil amach uaidh ar eirigh leis na daoine a chaill a gcuid oibre ar na múnlaithe luaidh a chur ag obair ar rud éigin eile.

Mar gheall ar go bhfuil baint ag an Roinn leis an gCoimisiún a cureadh ar bun, Coimisiún na hImirce, ba mhaith liom a fháil amach ón Aire an bhfuil aon scéal aige chomh fada agus a bhaineas sé leis an nGaeltacht. Tá tagairt déanta ag an Aire dhó san ráiteas a thug sé agus dúirt sé go raibh trí deacrachtaí ag cur isteach ar thionscal sa nGaeltacht agus á choinneáil siar:

(1) Unsettled conditions of trade both in the home and in the export market;

(2) Abnormal movement of trained workers from Gaeltacht areas;

(3) Delays in the delivery of materials.

Dá n-abradh aon duine ón taobh seo go raibh "abnormal movement of trained workers" ann, bheadh sé le rá faoi go raibh sé ag déanamh bolscaireachta, nach raibh ina chuid cainte ach bolscaireacht páirtí, ach tá sé anseo ag an Aire é fhéin. Taispeánann sé sin, má tá an imirce ar siúl tar éis an díograis a chuir an tAire seo isteach ina chuid oibre ar nós "new broom," nach bhfuil aon mhaith locht a fháil ar an dream a bhí roimhe, go mor mhór nuair a bhí níos mó fostaíochta agus níos mó páighe le fáil i Sasana ná mar atá le blianta beaga anuas.

Tá dhá rud nar soláthraíodh aon airgid dóibh agus ba mhaith liom iad a mheabhrú don Roinn: ba mhaith liom go bhféachfadh siad chuige go mbainfeadh siad an buntáiste is mó agus is féidir leo a bhaint as iasachtaí ó Bhoird na gCuartaíochta le guest houses do chur ar bun sa nGaeltacht; agus an fheidhm is mó agus is féidir a bhaint as an aibhléis a bheith ar fáil i gcuid de na háiteachaí sa nGaeltacht.

Ar ndóigh, níor cheart gan tagairt a dhéanamh do cheist na dtithe. Fuair mé freagra ón Aire tamall ó shoin faoi'n méid a tugadh amach ar iasacht. Ní hé an méid airgid is mó atá i gceist agam, a mhéid nó a laghad ach an méid úis atá le n-íoc ag na daoine ar an airgead sin. Ní mór dóibh 5 faoin gcéad a íoc ar an méid ar fad ó tosnaíodh ar iasactaí airgid a sholáthar faoi Achta na dTithe (Gaeltacht). Tá mé ag ceapadh go bhfuil sé sin ró-throm agus ba cheart go mbreannochadh an tAire isteach sa scéal seo ós rud é go bhfuil airgead dhá sholáthar anois do na daoine sna bailte móra ar 3 faoin gcéad. Ní ceart go mbeadh an t-ualach úis sin ar mhuintir na Gaeltachta. Séard a thagas as go mbíonn le hais-íoc ag na daoine a fhághas na híasachtaí seo dá oiread an méid a fuaireadar agus ní dóigh liom go bhfuil cothrom na Féinne annsin. Na tithe atá á dhéanamh, tá siad go maith, agus tá tóir níos mó ar theac faoin scéim seo, mar, sa chéad dul síos, soláthraíonn an Roinn an t-abhar tógála don duine atá ag iarraidh an tí agus tá níos mó faoiseamh rátaí le fáil freisin.

Tríd is tríd agus mar adúirt mé, tá meath mór ar an nGaeltacht ceal fostaíochta agus ní hé an Roinn seo atá ciontach le sin. Is minic a dúradh linn nuair bhíomar ar na binnsí thall go rabhamar in ár gcaoirigh balbha smachtaithe, gan gíog nó focal asainn. Ní féidir, is docha, é sin a rá faoin dream atá anois ar na binnsí ceana, ach chomh fada agus tá eolas agamsa ar an nGaeltacht thiar, bhfearr go mór i bhfad le muintir na Gaeltachta, agus b'fhearr i bhfad dóibh freisin, dá mbeadh na caoirigh balbha, smachtaithe céanna ar na binnsí sin thall agus an scéal a bheith amhlaidh díreach mar a bhí sé nuair a bhíomar ann.

From time to time during the lifetime of the various Governments, it seems to be the popular thing to render at least lip-service to the inhabitants of the Gaeltacht. Having regard to the circumstances prevailing there, I will admit that it is a most difficult problem to deal with. In spite of the efforts of previous Governments, I do not think that the circumstances of the people living in these areas have been improved to any appreciable extent.

I intend to deal with just two matters on this Estimate—industries in the Gaeltacht areas and Gaeltacht housing. In the Gaeltacht area I represent, scarcely anything at all has been done to promote industries. In the centre of the Fíor-Ghaeltacht there, there is a very large building which was at one time owned by the British Government as a cable station and it was afterwards used as an Irish college. It has been vacant during the past seven or eight years and representations were made to the present Minister to see if anything could be done so that it could be used for the promotion and development of Gaeltacht industries. The Minister had the building examined, but I am not sure what was the nature of the report. I am referring now to the area of Ballinskelligs.

In an area such as that, as in all Gaeltacht areas around the coast, there should surely be some local industry to entice the people to stay at home. If the Irish language is to be preserved some endeavour must be made to give the people an occupation supplementary to the type of economy that prevails in those areas, and that type is small farming and part-time fishing. In connection with fishing, I would imagine that some occupation such as net making or net mending could be, first of all, taught, and then carried on. In those places they could hold classes so as to teach the fishermen how to repair their boats and engines, and there would be some inducement offered to them to carry on their calling at less expense. Any time a boat or a net would require repairs they need not send for an engineer to another part of the country or to the Fisheries Department.

In the mountainous areas of the Gaeltacht there is a plentiful supply of wool and that could be used for the purpose of making mats and rugs and so forth. When industries of this type were set up in Donegal, industries such as the making of toys, they appeared to be very successful. There would be ample room for industries of this sort in the different areas in South Kerry. Even though the industries would be on a small scale they would serve to keep at least some of our young people at home and they would encourage them to remain there. The setting up of these industries might not meet with success in all cases—there might be some failures—but I believe it would be well worth while trying.

I trust the Minister will examine carefully the report of the inspector who visited Ballinskellings and that something will be done there. That is the centre of the Gaeltacht area in South Kerry.

As regards Gaeltacht housing, up to the present there have been hundreds of applications for grants and most of these are awaiting sanction. I admit that the Minister recently, by the appointment of extra inspectors, made an effort to expedite the examination of the applications and the issuing of grants. I should like to point out that various difficulties arise in connection with these grants. If the inspectors, perhaps under instructions from the Minister or high departmental officials, could use greater discretion in the sanctioning of grants, such as in cases where all the members of the household would not have a sufficient knowledge of the Irish language, it would be helpful. For instance, a young man from the Gaeltacht area, a native speaker, may marry a lady from the Galltacht area, and in that case no grant is sanctioned because the rule is that members of the household must have a sufficient speaking knowledge of Irish. We should make some effort to entice people to build good homes in those areas. The homes must be of the best if we are to encourage people to stay there. I would like some instructions to be issued to the inspectors giving them certain discretion in the allocation of grants.

Because of the remoteness of those areas, according to present regulations it is unlikely that the Electricity Supply Board will ever reach them with an electricity supply. There are long distances between the villages and the expense would be so great that it would not be possible for people, with the small means that they have, to meet the expense of installation. Perhaps the Minister, in conjunction with the Minister for Industry and Commerce, might be able to arrange some scheme by which the Electricity Supply Board's services would be made available to the people in these areas. I feel that the Minister, just as other Ministers for Lands in the past, is anxious to do his best for the people in the Gaeltacht areas. If the Irish language is to be preserved, everything possible should be done to encourage the people to settle down in these areas.

Níl rún agam cur isteach ró-fhada a dhéanamh ar am nó ar obair ach ba mhaith liom cupla focal a rá. Támuid uilig ar aon intinn gur ceist speisialta agus ceist chasta an Ghaeltacht agus más rud é go bhfuil sábháil le déanamh ar a cuid daoine, ar a teanga, agus ar a nósanna seanGhaelacha—na rudaí is táchachtaí i saol an náisiúin seo—caithfidh muid iarracht a thabhairt ar an cheist a réiteach in daríribh agus gan mhoill, fósta. Má shíleann an Rialtas é a bheith riachtanach na mílte punt a chaithead le cuidiú a thabhairt do na feirmeoirí agus admhaím féin seo a bheith ceart, cinnte, níl Eireannach ar bith a dhiúltós airgead a chaiteamh ar áiteacha bochta sa Ghaeltacht atá gan tionscal.

Tá buaireamh ormsa nach dtig liom a rá go bhfuil stad na Gaeltachta ag biosadh ó tháinig an Rialtas seo isteach go speisialta Gaeltacht Thirconaill. Tá an t-aos óg—na buachaillí agus na cailíní ag fágailt na tíre agus le cupla blian tá an imirce níos mó ná bhí sé riamh.

This Estimate deals with a very poor uneconomic area, an area which, in the opinion of anyone who has regard for the language and for our native culture, deserves more from the Government. As the Minister, who is now in charge of the Gaeltacht services, is well aware, life in the Gaeltacht is a very hard, grim proposition. It is always a struggle for existence so far as the majority of the families there are concerned. The Minister is well aware that the land is very poor, and that it is impossible for the families who live there to eke out even a decent livelihood from it. In the Donegal Gaeltacht, the poor law valuation of most farms is about 30/-. Anybody who knows anything about land realises that it would be impossible for the people to survive on such small holdings. That is all the more reason why a native Government should pay more attention to the people of the Gaeltacht and to their needs than has been done for some time past. We have, unfortunately, in Donegal the greatest emigration that we have had there for very many years, and so, unless something is done, and done very quickly, the Gaeltacht, as we know it and as we have known it for many years, will have disappeared altogether.

What does the Deputy suggest?

I know that the Minister is as sympathetic to the Gaeltacht as I am, and that he knows the problems there. In view of that, I feel that more money should be spent on industries and on various schemes to help the people of that area. As I have already said, the land is so poor there that there is no possibility of the people taking advantage of the large schemes of development put into force by various Governments. They do not come under any of the headings in respect of those schemes because their holdings are too small and uneconomic. That is all the more reason why special consideration should be given to that very poor part of the country. I feel that it is asking too much of the Minister for Lands, or of any Minister for Lands, to take the Gaeltacht services under his wing and to make a success of them. I am not making any reflection whatever on the present Minister. What I feel is that, after giving attention to the various problems that arise in the Land Commission in connection with land and to forestry and to the various other matters that arise in connection with his Department, the Minister will have very little time to spare to look after such an important part of the country as the Gaeltacht. In my opinion, until such time as we have a Minister for the Gaeltacht, a Minister who will have Gaeltacht problems alone to deal with, there is very little hope of anything being done for the Gaeltacht in the way that we would like to have it done. The Minister should co-ordinate the various schemes which are being carried out by other Departments and in that way a better success might be made of them than is being made at present. He should, for instance, look after the rural electrification of the congested areas. He should look after the fisheries and not leave these sandwiched in as part of the work of the Department of Agriculture. If these schemes were coordinated in the way I have suggested, life in the Gaeltacht could be made more pleasant for the people in it than it is at present.

I am sorry the Minister cannot hold forth any hope for the homespun industry. For centuries that was one of our main industries in Donegal. It is sad to think that most of our weavers and craftsmen have left their looms and sought employment across the water. At one time the homespun industry was the mainstay of the Gaeltacht. I would be glad if the Minister could hold out even a little hope that this industry would be brought back into at least part-time production in the near future. I feel that something must be done to put fresh industries into the congested areas in an effort to keep our young people at home. Unless that is done the outlook for the people in these areas will be a very bleak one.

What industries would the Deputy suggest?

Some weeks ago I listened to a Deputy on the Government Benches saying that the young people in the Gaeltacht were only too fond of running away to other countries and that, even if work was provided for them, they would not stay at home. I think that statement is not correct. I do not think a Donegal representative should make that statement. During the war when the homespun industry was booming and the turf industry was well under way there was no difficulty whatsoever in getting workers.

That particular Deputy did a lot for Donegal.

I am not considering what he has done or what he has not done. I think his statement was incorrect. I do not think that these people are bitten by the bug for travel all over the world if there is work for them at their own doors. When there was work for them they stayed at home. It was only when the industries closed down they left. I am very sorry to see them go. I am sure the Minister is also very sorry, but I think the onus is on the Minister, who is in charge of the Gaeltacht areas, to ensure that as many as possible of these people will be brought back and that those who are at home will get an opportunity of doing some kind of work. We are not satisfied with the work that has been done by the Gaeltacht Services Department. We know the difficulties the Minister has. I think a Minister who sandwiches in Gaeltacht Services with other duties is not fair to himself and not fair to the inhabitants of the particular areas under his jurisdiction.

Bhíos annso cúpla seachtain ó shoin nuair a bhí an Teachta Conchubhar Ó Liatháin ag caint, agus caithfidh mé a rá go raibh áthas orm bheith ag éisteacht leis na smaointí a nochtaigh sé mar isiad na smaointí céanna iad atá agam-sa ar an nGaeltacht agus ar sheirbhísí na Gaeltachta.

Níl sé ar intinn agam an méid a dúirt sé d'ath-rá ach déarfad seo: go bhfuilim ar aon aigne leis go mór mhór maidir lena thábhachtaí atá sé an Ghaeltacht do shábháil agus a mbaineann leis an nGaeltacht agus leis an teanga.

Aontáim leis an tuairim atá aige mar gheall ar na tionscail sa nGaeltacht. Ní dhéanfaidh sé an gnó monarchain do chur ar bun sa nGaeltacht—pé méid acu—muna bhfagha siad slí bheatha fónta do na fir agus na buachaillí—go mór mhór na cinn teaghlaigh. Ní leigheasfaidh obair do na cailíní agus na mná amháin, an scéal go deo. Caithfear obair fhónta do chur ar fáil do na fir. Mar a dúirt an Teachta Ó Liathaín, bé toil Dé go mbeadh an dualgas ar na cinn tí a líontí do thabhairt suas agus do choimeád suas—a ndóthain do thuilleamh leis an gclainn do chothú do réir mar is dual do dhuine. Ní féidir é sin a dhéanamh fé láthair i n-aon Ghaeltacht—áiteanna na mbíonn na cailíní ag obair agus a n-athaireacha díomhaoin.

Tá fhios agam nach féidir na monarchanna sin—monarchanna a sholáthródh obair do na fir agus na buachaillí —a chur suas i lá amháin ná i mbliain amháin, ach tá ár Rialtas féin againn san chuid seo den tír le tríocha bliain beagnach anois agus cad na thaobh ná rinneadh rud éigin san treó san i rith na mblian san? Do réir mar a chloisim ó dhaoine go bhfuil eolas acu ar an nGaeltacht, tá muintir na Gaeltachta an-mhíshásta agus ní haon ionadh go bhfuil siad amhlaidh.

Do réir an méid cainte a rinneadh san Tigh seo mar gheall ortha le blianta anois, cheapfá nach mbeadh aon áireamh leis an gcabhair a gheobhadh muintir na Gaeltachta uainn-ne nó ón Rialtas. Bhíodar ag fáil geallúintí ó bhliain go bliain agus ag súil ó bhliain go bliain go ndéanfaí rud éigin fónta ar a son. Chreid siad sna geallúintí a tugadh anseo ach bliain i ndiaidh bliana ní raibh i ndán dóibh ach an díombá agus an loch amach— bád na himirce. Cé thógfadh ortha iad a bheith ag éirí tuirseach agus bréan de gheallúintí. Cé thógfadh orthu má táid ag smaoineamh anois—agus ag rá chomh maith—nach bhfuil san Tigh seo ach amháin caint agus cur i ngcéill maidir leis an nGaeltacht, nach bhfuilimíd dá ríribh mar gheall orthu agus nach aon mhaitheas dóibh bheith ag súil le haon bheart fónta uainn—le haon rud ach an sop in ionad na scuaibe agus cur ó dhoras ó bhliain go bliain— agus san am chéanna an Ghaeltacht ag dul i meath agus an t-aos og ag teicheadh. Mar a dúras cheanna, cé thógfadh orthu má táid ag cailiúint misnigh agus ag imeacht in éadochas?

"Níl saoi gan locht," deirtear, agus ní taise d'aon Rialtas dá raibh againn go nuige seo maidir leis an scéal seo, agus tá sé in am againn agus i bhfad thar an am féachaint chuige go mbeidh athrú dearcaidh agus athrú beartais againn feasta.

Cad é an leigheas atá ceaptha ag an Teacta?

Tá leigheas agam-sa agus cloisfidh tú é in-an trath. Teastaíonn uaim a chur ina luí ar an Aire go bhfuil a lán againn san Tigh seo—ar gach taobh den Tigh—nach bhfuil ró-shásta leis an méid atá á dhéanamh ag an Rialtas agus a cheapann nach bhfuil a dhóthain san Meastachán seo cé go bhfuil £50,000 níos mó ann ná an méid a bhí ann anuraidh.

'Sé mo thuairim láidir é nach bhfuil tuiscint cheart ag an gcuid is mó againn ar a thábhachtaí is atá an Ghaeltacht agus a mbaineann léi, mar dá mbeadh tuiscint cheart againn ní bheadh an scéal mar atá sé.

Tá ár ndícheall á dhéanamh againn chun deire a chur le crích-dheighilt na tíre. Cé acu is tábhachtaí? Tá, a fhios agam go bhfuil daoine san tír agus san Tigh seo freisin gur cuma leo an Ghaeltacht agus a mbaineann léi a bheith ann nó as. Agus tá daoine anseo a bheadh sásta, dá bhfaghaidís a rogha, ligint don Ghaeltacht bás d'fháil ach aontas na hÉireann do bhaint amach. Ach an gnáth-dhuine sa tír seo, dá mbeadh a leithéid sin de rogha aige, ní bheadh sé nómeat amháin idir dhá chomhairle, seasóchadh sé ar taobh na Gaeltachta agus ní dhéanfadh sé í do thréigint ar aon phraghas fiú amháin aontú na tíre maidin amáireach. Taispáineann san a thábhachtaí is atá sé an Ghaeltacht do shábháilt agus í d'fheabhsú i gach slí is féidir linn. Ar an abhar san nílimídne san Pháirtí seo lán-tsásta leis an méid atá san Vóta seo. Bheimís toilteannach i bhfad Éireann níos mó a thabhairt don Aire, i gcóir na seirbhísí seo. Tá géar-ghá le i bhfad níos mó, mar tá a fhios againn go léir go bhfuil áiteanna sa nGaeltacht atá fíor-bhocht—áiteanna ar nós Rosamhíl agus Leitir Mealláin. Níl aon eolas agam ar aon Ghaeltacht ach amháin Ciarraidhe agus cuid de Chonamara ach cloisim ó dhaoine a bhfuil eclas aca ar an nGaeltacht go bhfuil a lán áiteanna ann fíor-bhocht, agus mar is eol do chách nuair a bhíonn duine fíor-bhocht, gan aon talamh aige ach an leac lom, cailleann sé misneach agus cailleann sé a fhearúlacht. Molaim don Aire maidir leis na daoine bochta san, muna bhfuil sé ar a chumas obair fhónta do sholáthar dóibh, iad d'aistriú as na háiteanna ina bhfuilid agus iad do shocrú ar an talamh maith i lár na hÉireann nó in áit éigin eile a mbeadh talamh maith le fáil.

Tá rudaí eile a bheadh ar chumas an Aire a dhéanamh gan mórán moille. An talamh do dhreineáil agus a chur i n-oiriúint ionas go bhféadfadh an t-aos óg peile agus cluichí eile d'imirt. Pinniúireacha do thógáil. Tá na clocha go flúirseach san gach Gaeltacht. Ní fheadar cén fá nar chuir Cumann Luth-Chleas Gael spéis éigin san nGaeltacht go nuige seo—rud a mbeifeá ag súil leis.

Ar aon chuma tá leigheas an scéil i lámha an Aire anois. Ní gá dó bheith ag brath ar aoinne eile nó ag fanúint le húdarás. Tá a fhios aige go bhfaighfidh sé pé méid airgid atá de dhith air ón Tigh seo. Ná bíodh eagla air margheall air san. Tá an t-eolas aige. Ní gá dó bheith ag brath air éinne eile eolas do sholáthar dó. Ní féidir fanúint a thuille. Tá an scéal práinneach agus ar an abhar san iarraim ar an Aire luí isteach san obair agus geobhaidh sé uainne go léir pé cabhair a theastaíonn uaidh.

A Chinn Chomhairle, táimid ag caint le fada faoin nGaeltacht agus ag éisteacht le chéile ag caint. Cuireadh caint go leor cainte ar sreath agus dá sábháladh caint an Ghaeltacht is fada ó bhí sí sábháilte. Ach is beag atá déanta don Ghaeltacht chor ar bith. Is beag atá faighte aici ach cuid Pháidín den mheacan—an driobaillín coal.

Gan aimhreas ar bith, ceapann daoine go mbaineann deacracht leis an nGaeltacht lena cúrsaí a réiteach, ach ní fiú aon ní rud mura mbeadh deacracht ag gabháil leis. Ní théann an rud deacair féin ó réiteach má téitear ina cheann mar is eóir agus toil a bheith lena réiteach.

Choinnigh an Ghaeltacht oidhreacht ar sinsir nuair a scaoil an chuid eile den tír uathu í. Ach tá faitíos orm go bhfuil sí ag imeacht uainn go tréan. Tá na sean-daoine ag imeacht uainn agus an chuid is fearr dar n-oidhreacht ag imeacht leo.

Bheadh muid sásta lenar gcuid den méid a bheadh ag imeacht ach ní bheadh muid sásta d'oireasa an méid sin. Níl aimhreas ar bith nach bhfuil teachtaí ar gach aon taobh den Teach seo sásta an oíread agus is féidir a dhéanamh don Ghaeltacht. Dá bhrí sin ba cheart dúinn comhar a dhéanamh oibriú as lámha a chéile leis an nGaeltacht a shábháil.

Tá an aibhléis anois i gceantair i gConamara. Tá se sa Spidéal agus i Magh Cuilinn cheana féin, dhá cheantar an-Ghaeltach. Ach ní stopfa sé ansin. Ba mhaith liom go ndéanfadh an tAire a dhícheall le déantuis a chur ar bun sa dá cheantar sin le saothrú a thabhairt do na daoine ann agus a gcoinneál ann. Ach caithfe an aibhléis dul ar fud Chonamara.

Dúirt an tAire Tionscail agus Tráchtála nach féidir é a dhéanamh, nach féidir aibhléis a chur ar fud an cheantair. Ní hé sin é ach caithfear é a dhéanamh.

Táimid bocht ach táimid bocht cneasta. Ní dochar a bheith bocht ach a bheith cneasta. Níl dream ar bith is fearr a íocas a mbealach ná muintir na Gaeltachta. Ach níl mórán dá dhéanamh dhóibh. Ní dhearna aon Rialtas é, ní dhearna Cumann na nGaedheal é agus ní dhearna Fianna Fáil é ná dream ar bith.

Tá an Ghaeltacht ós ar gcionn uilig. Is ann a chuaigh an Piarsach, agus Eoin MacNéill a chuaigh go hArainn, agus is mór an lán d'fhoghlaim an Piarsach ann agus ba mhór é a ómós don Ghaeltacht. Ach tá sí ag fáil bháis. Tiocfaidh an tráth nach mbeidh sé ann do réir mar atá an chosúlacht anois. Agus tiocfaidh an tráth nuair a bheas muide imithe, go mbeidh daoine ina suí ar na bínsí seo ag fiafraí céard a rinneamar nuair a scaoileamar uainn í. Tá neart di ann fós lena coinneáil beo má thógaimíd dul ina cheann.

Tá na mílte milliún punt dá chaitheamh in áiteacha eile gan pinginn ar bith sa nGaeltacht. Tá an tAire Rialtais Aitiúil ag dul thart ag déanamh gaisce faoi na céadta teach atá dá dtógáil ins gach uile áit, i Luimneach agus i gCill Choinnigh agus ins gach áit eile. Níl a chothrom sin dá fháil againne ar aon chor. Ní mórán tithe ar bith atá dá ndéanamh sa nGaeltacht. Caithfear tuilleadh tithe a dhéanamh ann. Tá súil agam go ndéanfamuid cuid mhaith seachas sin don Ghaeltacht.

Na deontais atá ann is mór an lán maitheasa atá siad a dhéanamh ach ní mór tuilleadh ina gceann.

Tá mé cinnte gur fear é an tAire a bhfuil croí mór fial aige don Ghaeltacht. Is aisti a fáisceadh é. Bhí an Ghaeilge ag a athair agus ag a mháthair agus tá gnaoi agus gean dá réir aige don dream ar díobh é féin. Tá mé cinnte go ndéanfaidh sé a dhícheall don Ghaeltacht.

The Gaeltacht Services Vote is one that does not arouse a lot of debate in the House. I do not think that that is as it should be. While it is a small Vote, nevertheless, the work that the Gaeltacht Services division is engaged on makes it one of the most necessary and most important of all Government services. It is important because it caters for a section of the people who are poor through no fault of their own or, at least, they have not the same facility to make good as people in other parts of the country. They are poor because the quality of the land is poor in practically all these areas and they are poor because of an event which happened a couple of hundred years ago and which caused an overcrowding of the poorer areas. That overcrowding is with us to a certain extent down to the present day. Congestion is rife there and it is showing itself in many ways. It is lowering the standard of living there and it is one of the causes of emigration.

A mistake which quite a few Deputies made was that the Vote this year was reduced, despite the fact that I stated very clearly in my opening statement that it was increased this year. It has actually been increased by over £50,000 of that is going to mately £30,000 of that is going to housing, which I will deal with later, but it is not decreased.

Another mistake that Deputies make is that they regard this Vote in the same light as other Votes, in other words, they believe that the Government is doing good for the people the more money they spend under the Vote. That is not an indication of what is happening because, with the exception of housing, Gaeltacht Services are selling the produce of industry and that produce is accounted for by Appropriations-in-Aid which can be seen in the Estimate. Most of it can be used within the current year. Apart from salaries and travelling expenses, most of the money asked for is needed for wages or the purchase of materials required to keep the industries going.

While there was a temporary setback in quite a few branches of Gaeltacht Services immediately after the war, on the whole, things are beginning to brighten up again. Mention was made of the homespun industry. There is no great prospect for that at present. As a matter of fact, the records show that during the first world war homespuns enjoyed a boom, between the two wars slumped heavily and during the last war enjoyed another boom, due to the scarcity of textiles and other clothing materials. At present there are approximately 77,000 yards of homespun, which were manufactured during the years since the war ended, on hands yet and sales are very, very poor. Last year we succeeded in disposing of only 12,000 yards, although the materials is first class. It is absolutely useless to ask weavers and spinners to manufacture a material for which there is no outlet either in the home market or in any world market that we have tried. We have spared no effort or expense in pushing the sale of homespuns and in trying to sell the stock that is still on hands but, in my opinion, is will take another two or three years to liquidate that stock.

I think it was Deputy Breslin who said that the homespun industry was closed down. It was not closed down. No industry was closed down. The homespun industry was purely a cottage industry. The last Government stepped in in 1943 and bought the material for the purpose of preventing black marketing and preventing the quality of the material from being cheapened. That could possibly have happened. It was not true to say that Gaeltacht Services had full responsibility for the homespun industry, as it has for the Round Tower hand-woven tweed, for instance, or will have in future for the sea-rod industry and hand knitting, glove making and all the other various industries in which they are engaged. The homespun industry was a separate industry, principally in the Gaeltacht, and only in certain parts of the Gaeltacht. Gaeltacht Services were asked to step in to prevent abuses which could possibly have arisen during the war years when there was scarcity of materials on the one hand and a good deal of money in circulation on the other hand. It is very easy to see that prices could soar to a dangerous point and that the quality of the material could deteriorate. Either of these possibilities was not desirable at that particular time.

The sea-rod industry is very promising. The future for kelp is practically nil. Sea-rods have come into their own and I am glad to say that last year there were 3,250 tons collected and paid for as against 2,475 tons in 1948-49 and 2,683 tons in 1947-48. A sum of £114,247 was paid to the gatherers of sea-rods last year as against approximately £9,000 in the previous year. The increase is due to two factors—an increased tonnage gathered and an increase in price which was found possible during the year.

Deputy Kissane and other Deputies asked why sea-rods were not gathered in Kerry, Cork and along the south coast. We are investigating that. We can only gather sea-rods where they come up on the shore. During the passage of the Alginates Bill, about 18 months ago, I explained that sea-rods of the particular type needed grow in a certain type of sea-bed, that is, a bed that shelves gradually from the shore. You will not get sea-rods if the shore drops steeply. They grow in that part of the sea-bed which has normally about 18 feet of water. Naturally, the size belt depends on the gentle slope of the bed and if the bed shelves deeply you only get a narrow belt of sea-rods, which is useless. If there are sea-rods available in Cork, Kerry or any other place, we will be only too glad to take them. The newly reorganised factory in Kilkerrin will handle much more than they are getting at present and I anticipate a very favourable expansion of that particular branch of the industry.

A good deal of discussion arose in regard to the fact that only 36 new houses were erected and only 11 reconstruction grants were paid during the year. That is so but it is no indication of what is happening. I think it was Deputy Con Lehane who asked for the figures. In actual fact £63,466 was sanctioned for grants for new houses and reconstruction grants last year and the amount actually paid last year was £30,781. In reply to a parliamentary question, I gave the figures, 36 new houses constructed and 11 reconstructions completed. That was the position but it must not be forgotten that it takes a year and sometimes 15 or 18 months to complete a house under the Gaeltacht Housing Act. At present, it may be of some assistance to Deputies to know there are 225 new houses under construction, grants for which have been sanctioned and 133 cases of reconstruction in progress, for which grants have been sanctioned. The number of applications for new houses is 658 and for reconstruction 438. These grants have been sanctioned but the work will not be completed, perhaps, by the time the Estimate comes before the Dáil next year. Some of them will be completed but I can foresee that quite a number will not be completed. It depends on the speed with which the applicant goes ahead with his house. We will not hurry him. If he takes 15 to 18 months in building a house, it is not our business to say: "Hurry up and complete it." All we are concerned with is to give the maximum grant and to allow the applicant to erect his new house in his own way, provided it conforms with the regulations laid down by the Department.

It is unfair criticism, cheap criticism, to say that because only 36 grants were paid last year, it is an indication, of what the Department is doing. Nobody asked how many houses were under construction at the moment. The number is 225 and there are 133 reconstruction cases.

Reference was made to the fact that Irish is a statutory requirement before a grant can be sanctioned. That is so. A few Deputies deprecated any move towards changing that position. I want to see Irish the spoken language of this country, if it is at all possible, and nobody regrets more than I do any decline in the Irish speaking areas, but we must face facts. It has been put to me several times that it is unfair that, where there is a married couple, the husband being a native speaker and the wife perhaps from an English speaking area with no knowledge of the language, the man is debarred from getting the grant. I do not think that is exactly fair.

That is not happening. Where there is Irish in the house, sanction is given.

Mainly as a result of the debate on the Gaeltacht (Housing) Act, that is the case. That is happening, because I have got complaints.

It is not happening in Connemara.

I want to tell the Deputy that it is happening in Connemara.

It is not.

Then those who have been writing in and complaining to me must be making a purely fictitious case, and I do not think that is so. The handwoven tweed branch of the industry is doing reasonably well. It is centred in County Donegal, in which Deputy Breslin and Deputy McFadden are interested. Last year 120,000 yards were manufactured, and the fact that we have orders on hands at present—firm orders on which we can rely—shows that we will be very busy during the coming year. Towards that end, certain extensions and improvements in the spinning mill at Kilcar are contemplated. There is no doubt about the quality of the Round Tower handwoven tweed. It is first class, and is certainly booming at the moment, and I think I am safe in forecasting that it will continue to do so.

Another very useful branch is the toy industry. We have three factories —Crolly, County Donegal; Cashel, County Galway; and Elly Bay, North Mayo. I want to pay a compliment to the workers there on the quality of their work. It is excellent and second to none in the world. The leaden metal industry fell on evil days after the war. It was one of those things that boomed during the war for some unaccountable reason and which, as soon as the war was over—principally, I suppose, because they were confined to a military type of toys—the demand for them fell off, and we found it necessary to discontinue their manufacture completely and to change over. Fortunately, from previous experience, the Department was aware that a falling off would come, and when it came, it came as no surprise. The Department was prepared for it, and was able to switch over and to replace the leaden metal toys with another type of industry, the making of parts for soft toys, which up to about a year ago we were purchasing principally from Canada. The three factories are going fairly well and, as I say, not alone is the output satisfactory, but the quality is second to none, due to the skill of the workers.

One Deputy mentioned that the sub-head for materials was down by £8,000. The Minister asks the House each year for a certain amount of money which he anticipates will meet his requirements in respect of materials for the coming year, and the reason that sub-head is down is that we have £108,000 worth of material on hands this year as against £93,985 worth last year. In other words, we have almost £15,000 worth more material this year than last year, and we anticipate that will be quite sufficient for our needs.

Emigration from the Gaeltacht was commented on by practically every Deputy. No Deputy on any side wants to see it, if it can be arrested or stopped, but it is true that Gaeltacht Services cater more for the employment of girls and women than the employment of men. It is correct to say that, and until something is done for the male population in the Gaeltacht I am afraid the emigration will continue. It is for that reason that the Government has decided on the forestry programme which has been announced and which is known to everybody in the House and outside of it and which therefore needs no further comment from me. We must give employment to the natural breadwinners in any area if we intend to nail down the population there. It is for that reason that I caused a survey to be made of the suitable plantable land of the country and my first ideas in that connection have proved to be correct, that the greatest area of plantable land lies in the Gaeltacht and that a big industry like forestry is the only industry which will meet the problem and serve to hold down the population.

The land is of poor quality from an agricultural point of view, but I say without any hesitation that it is not of poor quality from a forestry point of view. In a great many areas the first crop of timber may not be of first-class quality, but the second and succeeding crops certainly will. We can continue to export money to buy our requirements of timber and to export our population to work abroad if we want to do so, but if we want to stop it, or at least make a beginning on the stopping of it, we must get down to the one big industry which will save the Gaeltacht, and that, in my opinion, is forestry. I am going all out for that, as are the present Government. I have said repeatedly that arable land and semi-arable land capable of being reclaimed should be utilised for the production of food. The land which cannot be reclaimed, or which it would be too costly to reclaim, should be kept under timber, as has been done in other countries. This country is badly denuded of timber. We have to pay out over £3,000,000 each year for our timber requirements, and between actual timber and wood products we pay out something like £8,000,000.

We can keep all that money at home. It will not be done, no matter how we try, this year, next year, the year after or in 20 years' time; but if we do not start now, a start will not be made. Every day it is put off will see the same poverty in the Gaeltacht areas, the same emigration from these areas and the same money leaving the country for material which we could produce equally well at home.

This Government has done a great deal for the Gaeltacht areas, through Gaeltacht Services. It means to do more through forestry, and through land reclamation in arable areas that lie in pockets in the Gaeltacht areas. In the improvement of stock a great deal has been done by the Minister for Agriculture, who intends to do a great deal more in the improvement of strains of stock and so on.

Taking it on the whole, the picture I had to present to the House this year was much brighter than that presented last year or the year before. Whatever little slump or upset occurred as a result of the cessation of the world war has, thank God, come to an end and things are looking much brighter for the future.

Can the Minister say if the 46 people who lost employment through the closing down of the Spiddal lead model industry have been re-employed?

I could not answer that. We mean to re-employ as many as possible, to hold them. The change over from leaden toys to hard body parts, which is an innovation in Gaeltacht Services, is meant to absorb them. The number in the leaden industry was falling for a number of years until it had dwindled from 90 to 43, and of the 43 at the time these toys were completely shut off, I think only 25 were working. The workers were inclined to leave us, in any case. Apart from that, we are anxious to re-employ those displaced as a result of the failure of the lead toy market. I have not details for the Deputy, but I will let him know by letter if he wishes.

Will the Minister look into the complaint about the girls working from 9 until 6 o'clock on the knitting machines and then at the sewing of the stockings until midnight?

I will examine it. They do not do that in all areas.

They do it in one area I know of and they have complained to me about it.

It would require a special type of machine which we are anxious to supply as soon as it is available.

They have that machine in some of the centres. I would ask the Minister to supply it to them all.

As soon as the machines are available.

How much of the forestry land in the Gaeltacht area has the Minister acquired, or how much is being investigated for acquisition?

A pretty large amount. In Donegal, for instance, there will be something like 13,000 acres inside three or four years. In Galway we have taken over—I am sure the Deputy might remember it from a Land Commission point of view—the Cluais valley. We are buying farms as they become available and, if the Ceann Comhairle will bear with me, I might say that Deputy Bartley could do a good day's work in helping us out in regard to forestry, by seeing that the land comes into the Department's hands for forestry.

In other words, he should not take a leaf from the Minister's book.

Instead of land being divided, we would like to see it planted, in certain areas. That would help to provide forest centres. In Kerry, Clare, Galway, Mayo, and particularly in Donegal, there are fairly large areas, some of them in the hands of the Land Commission and some privately owned, and we are doing all we can about them. There is a shortage of acquisition officers. There was only one acquisition officer for the whole Twenty-Six Counties. We have increased that to eight and hope to get five or six more. We have not sufficient at present. As soon as the Land Bill is passed, a section of which contains a special clause to enable us to subdivide commonage at the request of the owners, we will speed the work up.

I do not wish to speak again, but I would not like the Minister to do me an injustice.

The Deputy recommended that King's place in Derreen should be divided instead of planted.

Does the Minister not remember that he himself tried to prevent the planting of Cong?

I am glad I did, as that is arable land; but in the Derreen area ten acres would not rear a snipe.

Question put and agreed to.
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