asked the Minister for Finance if he will make a comprehensive statement on the present and future position of works carried out under the Special Employment Schemes Office, including bog development schemes, minor employment schemes and rural improvement schemes; if he is aware of the urgent need which exists for the carrying out of many of these schemes, particularly rural improvement schemes, and of the considerable inconvenience and difficulty experienced by local authorities owing to the uncertain nature of these schemes and the lack of information as to when they will be carried out; and if he will now take action to ensure that in future the carrying out of these schemes proceeds in an orderly and predictable way unaffected by repeated suspension of work.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Special Employment Schemes.
I am unable to add to my replies to previous questions on this subject on 10th March and on 27th and 28th April, 1966.
The number of rural improvement schemes that can be carried out each year is governed by the amount of the provision voted by Dáil Éireann therefor, and that sum is necessarily limited.
Has the Parliamentary Secretary any say in the amount of money devoted by the Dáil to this purpose? The Parliamentary Secretary will agree that rural improvement schemes applications were suspended last August because of no finance being available. Minor employment schemes have been wiped out. Surely the Parliamentary Secretary should make a comprehensive statement, having regard to the importance of these schemes in rural Ireland not only from the point of view of the beneficiaries but also from the point of view of the employment given?
The Deputy is not correct in saying that the rural improvement schemes were wiped out last August.
Applications were suspended last August.
The fact of the matter is that more money has been spent in the past 12 months on these schemes than was ever spent before. Applications were suspended last August because there was such a backlog it would have been unrealistic to accept new applications and add them to the existing waiting list.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary state when it is proposed to receive applications again and resume work on applications pending since August? I understand a number were sent in on the understanding that they might be dealt with later.
There will be no unnecessary delay in the resumption of acceptance of applications, but new applications will not be accepted until it is practicable to handle the applications which have been accepted within a reasonable time.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that it is his job, function and duty to impress on the Government and the Minister for Finance the desirability of making money available for these essential works in rural Ireland? Surely the Parliamentary Secretary will agree that there is an obligation on him to ensure that funds are made available to carry out these schemes in the same way in which these schemes were carried out in years gone by.
The Parliamentary Secretary is quite well aware of his obligations.
Is it not true that all minor employment schemes and bog development schemes have been substantially wiped out in that they are now merged in the minor relief schemes for which a local contribution is required, whereas the other two schemes were done by way of free grant and there is now, therefore, no scheme whereby the work can be done under a free grant?
The position is that bog development and minor employment schemes have now been merged with rural improvement schemes. In the case of applications already made for minor employment schemes and bog development schemes, which prove to be of such an urgent nature as to merit priority, priority will be considered.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary explain one simple thing to me? Heretofore there were two categories of schemes. There were, first, rural improvements in respect of which the local people made a contribution and the Department paid the balance; secondly, there were bog development schemes and rural improvement schemes in respect of which the Department paid the entire cost. Am I correct in believing that the latter two categories, having been merged with the minor relief schemes, are now subject to a local contribution?
That is correct.
And the free grant system has been abolished?
For the moment, yes.
Without any reference to this House or without any information to anybody. Surely that is a most revolutionary change?
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that a number of applicants have had to carry out the work themselves? A number of people who applied for grants had to do the work themselves because the Department informed them that their applications could not be dealt with for an indefinite period. That should not be so. Surely that is correct?
The demands for grants have been such in the past few years that it would be quite impossible to deal with them all, in spite of the fact that up to last year the provision for these grants has been increasing every year.
(South Tipperary): Will the Parliamentary Secretary say if a similar amount of money will be allocated from State funds for these schemes in the present financial year to that allocated in the past?
The Deputy has the answer to that question for several years past.
(South Tipperary): Will the Parliamentary Secretary say yes or no?
Consult the Book of Estimates and you will see it.
(South Tipperary): So the answer is no.
What has happened to the personnel dealing with these grants?
They have been sacked.
There have been seven supplementaries on this question and that is quite enough.