When we adjourned the discussion on this motion on 29th November last, I had dealt with the reasons why, in my opinion, it would be well if the Government decided to resume the allocation of moneys for expenditure under the Local Authorities (Works) Act. This motion does not require the introduction of fresh legislation. The legislation is there. All that would be necessary would be a Ministerial Order making available to the local authorities throughout the country the moneys necessary to resume operations under that scheme.
I have no intention of repeating the arguments I advanced on the last occasion. I had almost exhausted them when the House rose. I wish to emphasise for the last time the need there is in the rural parts of the country for operations such as were carried out when the scheme was formerly in operation. Today there is a need to give employment to the men who were at one time employed on such schemes and to the men who have been displaced on road work, not alone for the purpose of giving them employment but for the purpose of providing work of a character which would relieve flooding on much productive land which at the moment is incapable of being used to its maximum capacity because of the dangers attendant upon periodic flooding. Public roadways are also affected in very many instances because of flooding.
It is not only the non-availability of funds that is involved in this but the legal powers enshrined in the Local Authorities (Works) Act to permit of work of such a character to be undertaken. On the last occasion I cited instances where individuals and local authorities were desirous of carrying out such works but could not go in upon the land because they had not the right to enter property. If the Local Authorities (Works) Act were in operation that difficulty would not exist.
Even since the House rose a particular instance has come to my attention of a village in West Cork which has been seriously affected by flooding on the upper reaches of the River Lee. The local authority and various committees looked into this question and found they had no rights to go into this case of flooding which seriously affected not only lands but the houses in the village itself. Bridges and a roadway were also affected by the flooding. In fact, it went so far that members of the Minister's own Party on the council enquired whether, if the council itself advanced the money, the provisions of the Local Authorities (Works) Act would permit them to go in to do this work. They were informed by the Manager that they could not as the money had not been voted by the local authority under the Local Authorities (Works) Act. Consequently, it could not be done. I merely cite that as just another instance of very many we can bring to mind where work is waiting to be done and cannot be done because the authority is not there to embark upon it.
There is also the financial obligation. Every member of this House who is a member of a local authority knows very well, particularly in these weeks, how important local expenditure is becoming in the eyes of the people and how difficult it is becoming for the ratepayers to meet the charges levied upon them. We know how much work is awaiting any expenditure which can be embarked upon by local authorities, such as drainage, sanitary services, the provision of water supplies and so on.
Here was a scheme in which there was no charge on local rates and in which the very minimum of supervisory staff was necessary to carry out the scheme and in which the very maximum was spent in direct payment to the men engaged in doing the work. That was one of the most attractive features of the work done under the Local Authorities (Works) Act.
There are many men today who, unfortunately, have had to have recourse to labour exchanges because they were of an age at which they could not emigrate. They had lost employment on the roads. They could be employed on schemes such as this. Some Deputies support the Government in an effort to bolster up whatever case the Government may have in their obstinacy in refusing to implement this scheme, in complete opposition to the expressions voiced at the Ard-Fheis and in complete contradiction of the views expressed by their own members on local authorities. They continue, despite the frequent appeals to resume this scheme, to be almost adamant in their decision.
Let us hope that reason will prevail and that they will decide to resume these operations. Deputies who have tried to make a case in support of the Government in their attitude up to now have said that some money was not properly spent; there was not a proper return for the money involved. If that is the argument used, there is not a single measure ever introduced in this House by any Government where that argument could not be raised. There is not an Act in operation in the State today which should not be repealed if that argument holds good for all. In the expenditure of moneys some cases are more isolated than others. If there were instances in which money was not properly spent under the Local Authorities (Works) Act they were extremely few. Not alone did that Act bring employment to the rural parts and increased production and employment in rural areas but it also relieved the charges on the local authorities by preserving local authority property from the ravages of flooding.
I earnestly appeal to the Minister and the Government to accept this motion and re-allocate the moneys in the coming financial year. They should bear in mind the measure of support that exists both in the House and in every local authority throughout the country for the Minister to resume the Local Authorities (Works) Act that was so effective in the past. I am confident that if they do that they will find no better outlet for the expenditure of the relatively little amount of money which would give employment to so many and effect such good not alone in relation to the people directly involved but in regard to the communities in the areas served by schemes under the Local Authorities (Works) Act—schemes which would have to wait for many a long year if they were to be done under the arterial drainage scheme or any other existing scheme.
It is for those reasons that we in the Fine Gael Party feel it would be an excellent thing if these works were reopened and if the moneys were reallocated. We have the staffs ready in the county council offices. There would be complete co-operation on the part of the members of local authorities, no matter what Party they belong to, in order to ensure that whatever money is allocated for the works would be properly spent. The works that would be selected in co-operation with the local engineering staff would be such that the Government would be satisfied that the moneys spent would bring to local authorities and the country at large increased production and employment and help considerably the people who at the moment face great obstacles in trying to work small farms and road-side holdings. For this reason, we whole-heartedly support the motion.