Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 5 Mar 1952

Vol. 129 No. 9

Private Deputies' Business. - Adjournment Debate—Bord na Móna Housing Plans.

Mr. O'Higgins

On to-day's Order Paper I had a question tabled to the Minister for Industry and Commerce which really arose out of a matter which was raised here a fortnight or so ago in relation to the change of policy by Bord na Móna with regard to Boora Bog in the County of Offaly. It is important to realise the seriousness of this matter in so far as it applies to the County of Offaly. When the Turf Development Act, 1950, was passed, power was given by Section 5 of that Act to Bord na Móna to engage in housing schemes for its employees. That power was one which was needed by the board if it was to proceed along the sound lines of developing bogs with a resident labour potential available for the development of any particular bog, and it was under that power that Bord na Móna announced a very large-scale plan and programme for the development of Boora Bog.

That programme which was announced some 12 months ago or so was based on the support and co-operation of the Offaly County Council and it meant—I have not got the exact figures—that some 300 or 400 houses were to be built by Bord na Móna and the Offaly County Council, working in co-operation, at Kilcormac, Cloghan and Ferbane, and indeed the members of the Offaly County Council hailed the scheme as being of prime importance in the housing policy of the county. The provision of 300 or 400 houses in a county like Offaly, which is sparsely populated in areas, means a completely new venture for the council, and many people felt 12 months ago that Bord na Móna in its housing drive in the county was going to establish what had been painted from time to time by the Minister and other speakers for the people of the county, a rural village growing up around an important industrial scheme such as the development of Boora bog.

The House is aware that suddenly, some three or four weeks ago, Bord na Móna altered its scheme of development in relation to Boora bog and changed over from sod production of turf to the milled peat process. When that change was discussed in the Dáil, the Minister gave no indication that the change was anything more than a different development of the bog with no other consequence. In my question to-day, I asked whether this change of policy would alter the housing plans already announced by Bord na Móna in relation to the Ferbane area. The Minister replied to the effect that the change to the production of milled peat at Boora meant that it would only be necessary to proceed immediately with the erection of 100 houses at Kilcormac and 50 at Cloghan and he added: "The position will be reviewed later when the bog goes into full production."

That is an answer which, I suppose, makes it possible for the Minister to say that it does not mean that the balance of the houses will not be erected at some time in the future, but, from the point of view of hard facts, it does disclose that the housing scheme announced 12 months ago will not now be proceeded with and that there is going to be a considerable reduction in the number of houses to be built by Bord na Móna. Further, it seems perfectly clear that so far as the present development of Boora bog is concerned, there is going to be a considerable reduction in the personnel employed because the number of houses to be provided is to be reduced.

The matter is of grave importance to the county and I should like to repeat the complaint I have already made that decisions of this kind should not be arrived at without consultation with local interests affected. For the past 12 months, the entire housing policy of the Offaly County Council has been based on the housing plans of Bord na Móna and if the county council had been aware 12 months ago that the board would not carry out the housing plans which it had announced, more houses would, undoubtedly, have been built or would be in course of construction by the Offaly County Council in this area.

The entire business has been a very sorry one. It shows that suddenly an important State service such as Bord na Móna can have its decisions and policies altered to the detriment of a very large section of people and I should like an assurance from the Minister that the possible review which he referred to in his reply will be carried out as soon as possible. I should like an assurance from him also that as soon as possible the building of the balance of the houses will be proceeded with and that in the Ferbane area the board will exercise to the fullest extent its statutory powers under the Act of 1950.

Mr. Davin

I assume that the Minister has access to documents, Cabinet records, of the previous Government, and he will therefore be fully acquainted—apart from the fact that public statements were made on this matter by his predecessor—with the decision taken by the previous Government in regard to the number of houses to be erected by Bord na Móna, with the approval of the previous Government, in Cloghan, Ferbane, Kilcormac, Clonsast and other town and village areas adjacent to the bogs being developed in these two counties. These decisions were taken by the previous Government after consultation with Bord na Móna, and related to the increasing number of people who had to be brought from outside to work in the years to come for Bord na Móna at Boora, Clonsast, Allenwood and other places.

I should like the Minister to indicate the extent to which decisions taken by his predecessor and the previous Government are being modified in the figures given to Deputy O'Higgins in the Minister's reply to-day. If the number of houses to be built by Bord na Móna in the future is to be reduced, it means that the local authority, at the expense of the ratepayers, will have to make up for the reduction now being brought about by the Minister in relation to this modified scheme for the provision of houses for workers employed by Bord na Móna.

The Minister, in reply to a matter raised on the Adjournment by Deputy O'Higgins on a recent occasion, stated that all available local labour would be employed in Boora and presumably in other bogs, and, if that is so, there is no justifiable reason for a reduction of the number of houses which the previous Government and the Minister's predecessor originally decided to build. I should like the Minister to make a statement showing to what extent his predecessor's decision has now been modified and to what extent the original number of houses is to be reduced.

Mr. Lemass

No decision was taken by the previous Government or by my immediate predecessor as Minister for Industry and Commerce as to the number of houses to be built by Bord na Móna in this locality.

Mr. Davin

Are you sure?

Mr. Lemass

No decision was taken by me on that point either. The decision was made by Bord na Móna. I have no indication of the housing plans of Bord na Móna except what they tell me. When Deputy O'Higgins put down his question, I invited Bord na Móna to give me a reply. I could have replied that it was a matter for Bord na Móna and left it at that, but I preferred to meet the Deputy's wish for information and, consequently, I sought from Bord na Móna the material for my reply.

I am at a loss to understand the reference to the housing plans of Offaly County Council. Bord na Móna are building housing for their own employees. Any housing needs that exist in the area for other inhabitants have to be met by Offaly County Council, and they will get precisely the same amount of financial help from the Government to provide these houses as Bord na Móna will. Bord na Móna is obviously not expected to build houses which they will not require or until they require them for their own staff.

So far as the change at Boora affects this issue, it is true that the milled peat process requires a little less labour than the sod peat process. That is one of the advantages Bord na Móna see in the change, because they had anticipated a difficulty in meeting the full labour requirements of the sod peat process if all the bogs were developed on that basis. As I told Deputies in a previous discussion, all available local labour will be employed, anyway. There is no question of anybody in the area not being able to obtain employment with Bord na Móna because of the change, although it may affect the number of workers which will be brought in from other districts for employment there.

Our previous discussion turned on the utilisation of the hostels. It is obvious that it will be mainly in connection with seasonal work that the change in process will affect the labour requirements of the board. As far as permanent staff is concerned Bord na Móna will employ the number required and if necessary build houses for them. When they decided to reduce the number of houses they decided to proceed at once at any rate. Deputies can be quite certain that Bord na Móna will get on with the project as quickly as possible and that they will be able to foresee when further houses are likely to be required and make plans for their construction. I have no information as to when that may be and I could not get the information except by asking Bord na Móna because it is a matter for the board with which I am not going to interfere any more than my predecessor did.

Mr. Davin

Is it not a fact that the Minister's predecessor asked for information about the number of houses required and that the architect's scheme was submitted for his approval?

Mr. Lemass

No, it does not have to be submitted for approval.

Mr. Davin

Did the Minister's predecessor leave any records in this matter?

Mr. Lemass

I do not know to what the Deputy refers. I left a Bill authorising Bord na Móna to build houses and authorising the Government to give financial help to the board on the same basis as it is given to local authorities. He introduced the Bill and passed it, and that gave Bord na Móna authority to proceed with the erection of houses. The only place where the Government come in is in the appropriation of the financial aid they require. I am quite certain that my predecessor asked them, if the point arose in the Dáil, how many houses they intended to build. When Deputy O'Higgins raised the point I did the same thing: I asked how many houses they had decided to build.

The Dáil adjourned at 10.45 p.m. until 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 6th.