asked the Taoiseach if with regard to his statement of the 20th instant at Shanaghy, Ballina, of the Government's belief that the economic rehabilitation of the west of Ireland was a task of major national significance and that the exceptional measures which had been adopted to achieve it were fully justified, he will state specifically the exceptional measures referred to and their dates of commencement.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Economic Rehabilitation of West of Ireland.
1.
The principal measure adopted to promote the economic welfare of the west of Ireland was the enactment of the Undeveloped Areas Act, 1952, which came into effect in January of that year. Under that Act as amended by the Undeveloped Areas (Amendment) Act, 1957, An Foras Tionscail was empowered to give grants for industrial projects in the Undeveloped Areas
(a) not exceeding the full cost of factory sites and site development, factory buildings, services and facilities, and (b) not exceeding half the cost of machinery and equipment, and (c) towards the cost of training workers.
Under these Acts An Foras Tionscail has incurred financial commitments of over £3 million and up to 31st ultimo had paid out £1,835,310 of that amount. The projects approved represent a total capital investment of £7¼ million and are expected to give employment to 5,350. Fifty-two projects aided by these Acts are now in production.
Other measures of a more localised nature include:—
(a) the Gaeltacht Glasshouse Scheme for Connemara and Donegal, introduced in 1947 to assist small-holders in these areas to add to their incomes, and now being extended to the Tourmakeady district in Co. Mayo,
(b) Scéim na Muc introduced in 1958 to encourage pig production in the Gaelteacht areas,
(c) the erection, in accordance with a Government decision of February 1953, of four hand-won sod-peat electricity generating stations in Counties Donegal, Galway, Clare and Kerry to provide a market for surplus sodpeat produced in those areas.
(d) the erection, in accordance with a Government decision of October 1957, of a milled-peat electricitity generating station at Bellacorick, Co. Mayo, which is now under construction and is due for commissioning in 1962/3,
(e) the setting-up in November, 1957, of the Shannon Free Airport Development Authority, and in January, 1959, of the Shannon Free Airport Development Company Ltd., one of the main functions of which is the attraction of industries to Shannon Airport,
(f)the grant, approved in August, 1954, to St. Brendan's Co-operative Onion Growers' Society, Castlegregory, to assist in the development of storage and marketing facilities,
(g) the Gaeltacht Boat Scheme introduced in 1954 for the provision of fishing boats to Irish-speaking fishermen resident in the Gaeltacht, and
(h) the promotion of legislation in 1959 to revive the Grass Meal Manufacturing Project in Bangor Erris through the establishment of Min Fhéir (1959) Teoranta which is now in the process of formation.
The setting up of the Department of the Gaeltacht in 1956 was directed to promote the economic welfare as well as the cultural and social welfare of the Gaeltacht areas.
In many spheres where the State has intervened to promote economic development directly or indirectly, exceptional provision has been made for western or Gaeltacht areas, for example, under the Land Project Scheme special facilities for small-holders in Connemara were introduced in 1950 and a pilot scheme for the improvement of rush-infested land in North Leitrim was introduced in 1954; and in the case of technical education special additional Government assistance for Vocational Education Committees in Longford and six of the western counties commenced in April, 1955. Similar exceptional measures occur in the case of housing, employment schemes and road grants.
The statement referred to by the Deputy was made by me at the commencement, this month, of the River Moy Arterial Drainage Scheme. The high priority given to the Arterial Drainage Schemes for the Moy and the Corrib-Clare catchment, commenced in 1954, was in no small part due to the consideration that they would improve large areas of agricultural land in the west of Ireland.
Arising out of that litany, would the Taoiseach mind telling the House generally what that has meant in terms of increased employment and reduced emigration in the West of Ireland?
I could not put a precise figure on it.
Surely, when schemes like these are on the way, there is an estimate available to the Taoiseach of the employment content and the effect these employment schemes have on the registers of unemployment? Surely, the Taoiseach can give an estimate of the numbers of unemployed who have succeeded, as a result of all these measures, in getting employment?
The Deputy did not ask for that information.
It is rather embarrassing——
Is the Deputy sure he would accept it if he got it?
He would not be told it in any case.