I also wish to support this motion. I am well aware of the good results produced in many rural areas by the Local Authorities (Works) Act. It is fitting, I think, that tribute should be paid to the late Mr. T.J. Murphy who, during his term as Minister for Local Government, was the originator of that Act. It was a measure which brought new hope to very many people in rural Ireland in possession of water-logged and low-lying land.
The estimate for the work to be done under that Act in the coming year reflects the very big reduction of£640,000 compared to what was payable two years ago. I suggest that such a substantial reduction practically means the death knell of the scheme. I think that is a great pity because there are many people who are willing to operate schemes under the land project but are debarred from doing so because they must wait for the outfalls to be created by the clearances under the Local Authorities (Works) Act.
Some years ago, when local bodies desired to take up such schemes, they were confronted by many difficulties. The position to-day is that the rates have increased to such an extent in recent years that it is beyond the capacity of local bodies to do anything effective in this way. The Local Authorities (Works) Act was welcomed extensively because it was administered locally and the money was provided from the Central Fund, which meant that there was no corresponding increase in rates. It had the added advantage that it assisted those most in need of assistance.
There are demands from all quarters for increased production, for more tillage, for more cattle to be carried on farms. That can be done only if the land is drained and fertilised. There are drainage schemes in operation and a great deal of good work is being carried out under arterial drainage but I submit that the Local Authorities (Works) Act provided for schemes that every local councillor, no matter what his politics, was only too anxious to push forward.
The reduction in flooding brought about by work carried out under that Act saved the Roads Estimate considerably inasmuch as it freed many low-lying roads that had been ravaged by winter flooding. In my constituency there is a considerable amount of work still to be carried out. The main road, extending some 40 odd miles to the City of Cork, was in years back on many occasions flooded at various points. As a result of clearances carried out under the Local Authorities (Works) Act, there has not been an instance of flooding on that road in the past few years.
Where work has been completed, the people have been encouraged to go inand to continue the work by extensive drainage and fertilising. A great deal of land which could not carry a machine in the past is now cleared by mowing machines. Lime distributors are able to go on land which formerly, because of flooding, could not be brought into full production. Many farmers in my district who depend on upland meadowing suffered great losses in the past. It was a gamble to go in on them to cut the crop. More often than not, it was full of grit. There were various obstacles, barbed wire, and so on, brought along by floods, and their machines were damaged in the operation of hay-cutting. As a result of work carried out under the Local Authorities (Works) Act, they are saved from the perils which affected them in the past. Furthermore, they can now manure this land, safe in the knowledge that a flood will not sweep away the manures.
The extension of the Act was expected to continue for some time. The majority of my constituents were very seriously perturbed when the grants were reduced last year. They regard the present reduction with some misgiving because they see money being spent in other directions which have not the same employment content as works under the Local Authorities (Works) Act have.
People who are trying to eke out a livelihood, in very many instances on poor farms, deserve any help which the State can give them. It is not encouraging when they realise that they must maintain an army of unemployed that could be very usefully engaged in works such as were envisaged under the Local Authorities (Works) Act and which were proceeding well until the funds were curtailed. I would appeal to the Minister to devote as much money as possible to the purpose of resuming full activity under that Act.
Too many people are restricted in their efforts to increase production by reason of the fact that their land is water-logged. Young cattle develop diseases from drinking stagnant water. That can be borne out by veterinary surgeons. Farmers who drained their lands over the years were well repaidin the improved health of their live stock.
I heartily support this motion. Seeing that the Government can find money for people who do not need it half as badly and who are not contributing nearly as much to the benefit of the country as the people who would benefit by an extension of the Local Authorities (Works) Act, I would earnestly suggest that some of the huge sums that are so readily made available to people who have plenty of capital should be made available under the Local Authorities (Works) Act to help those who are trying to maintain themselves and their families against ever-increasing losses and new problems that arise every day. The solution to the problem facing these people is to ensure that their little holdings will be made economic, that they can carry more stock, that they will be able to till their fields without fear of their crops being swept away by floods.
The Local Authorities (Works) Act was working well. There was not a complaint from any county councillor against the scheme. Why was it curtailed? No more suitable scheme could be adopted for the employment of the army of unemployed that we have to-day. Every penny spent on schemes under that Act would go into the pockets of people who are living on the dole and would give them a standard of living which the miserable pittance they collect every week could not give them. It is a matter for regret that the amount of money provided for the scheme is reduced. The work being carried out is negligible in comparison with the many worthwhile schemes submitted and passed by the Department and, in many instances, completed a few years back. I have schemes in mind which would have brought prosperity to my home locality if they had been completed and which would have saved many industrious people loss from flooding in wintertime. Tributaries of a larger river swell out over these lands. That discourages people from cultivating low-lying land.
The land I am speaking of must be continually nursed. The people must keep making drains in it, clearingwater courses, liming and fertilising it and, as I said, it was a very wrong thing to curtail the money which was being provided for such work. There was a united response from the people to that scheme which was an excellent one. I have paid tribute to the memory of the man who introduced it. I am proud to be a county man of the late Deputy Murphy who introduced that scheme which in such a short time brought such benefit to so many. I appeal to the Minister and to the Government to extend that scheme and complete the work which was so well begun.