asked the Minister for Local Government if he will provide a sum of money for the Wexford County Council to enable them to carry out work necessary to alleviate flooding caused by the Brian Og river at Riverchapel, Courtown Harbour.
22.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Authorities (Works) Act Grants.
21.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that there is no grant available from central funds to deal with works necessary to counteract local flooding in areas under the jurisdiction of local authorities; and if he will make grants available from his Department to deal with such emergencies.
23.
asked the Minister for Local Government whether he proposes to make grants available under the Local Authorities (Works) Act this winter to alleviate unemployment in (a) rural areas and (b) turf areas where seasonal turf operations have terminated and, if so, if he will state the amount of such grants in each county.
With your permission, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 22 and 23 together.
No provision is included in the Vote for the Department of Local Government which would enable grants to be allocated to local authorities for further works under the Local Authorities (Works) Act, 1949, in the present financial year.
I did not ask whether or not any grants could be made available for works under the Local Authorities (Works) Acts. Could the Minister tell me if the Wexford County Council have made application for financial assistance to alleviate flooding in this district?
Yes, the Wexford County Council have made application but they have made their application on a basis which is not acceptable. They contended that earlier schemes on these rivers which were carried out under the Local Authorities (Works) Act were not completed but were only partly completed, and the last scheme is I understand, a development of an earlier scheme under the Local Authorities (Works) Act, 1949, which was begun in 1950. As I have said schemes under the Act must be complete in themselves.
In view of the fact that the Wexford County Council and other county councils have not the sort of money to do the work necessary in this particular instance, would the Minister not reconsider or get the Government to reconsider their attitude towards grants which we are given normally under the Local Authorities (Works) Act to do this very necessary work to prevent flooding, and in some cases loss of life through flooding?
Has the Minister in fact repealed the Local Authorities (Works) Act in practice?
The Deputy ought to know that the Minister cannot repeal any Act of the Oireachtas.
In practice, has the Minister let that Act go into abeyance?
Are we to assume that no moneys whatever will be made available this year for the Local Authorities (Works) Act notwithstanding the fact that there is considerable unemployment in rural areas at present and that that situation will be accentuated by the pay-off of a large number of turf workers who have been seasonally unemployed?
Can the Minister indicate, in a case of dangerous flooding, what funds are available from central Government funds to prevent loss of life or loss of property from such flooding?
That is an entirely separate question.
The answer is "none".
It arises out of Question No. 21.
Question 21 is the question which is unanswered.
Can I have a reply to my supplementary question? The Minister has tied up three questions here, all of which are dissimilar, and given an answer which covers none. That is not surprising from the Minister for Health. Does the Minister intend to do nothing under the Local Authorities (Works) Act to relieve the serious unemployment in rural areas which at present exists?
I have nothing to add to my answer that there is no provision included in the Vote for the Department of Local Government to enable grants to be allocated for further works under the Local Authorities (Works) Act, 1949, in the present financial year. I am not aware of serious unemployment——
The Minister should get out of his motor car and go to the rural areas. Then he would know that at this time of the year the local currency is not pound notes but unemployment assistance cheques on the labour exchange.
It is a long time since the Deputy was in a rural area or got out of his motor car.
What will happen when there is extensive flooding in any area? Who is responsible?
The local authority is responsible for clearing——
If the Minister will not hearken to the comments from this side of the House, does he appreciate that Deputies behind him have been unanimous with all other members of local authorities in seeking the resumption of operations under the Local Authorities (Works) Act?
I am not so aware.
Would the Minister wake up?
Where does the Minister live?
In Dublin, like the Deputy.
The Minister should open his eyes when he is travelling about.