Vol. 242 No. 2
asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that last year much employment was provided for unemployed persons by his Department's grant of £17,000 to Cork Corporation for employment schemes in Cork; and that the decision not to make such a grant available this year will cause great hardship to the unemployed in the city; and if in view of this he will reconsider his decision.
8.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will give details of the annual amounts of grants made to Cork Corporation for the past ten years under subhead J of the Local Government Vote for employment schemes in urban areas; and why no such grant is being made this year.
9.
asked the Minister for Local Government the amount of the emergency schemes vote grant given last year to Limerick Corporation for Christmas relief; the amount to be allocated this year; and the reasons for any change in the position since last year.
10.
asked the Minister for Local Government what grant is being given this year to Sligo town to provide work for the unemployed before Christmas; and if there will be an increase on last year.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 8, 9, and 10 together.
I would refer the Deputies to my reply of 23rd October to Question No. 101 in which I indicated why it is not possible this year to allocate grants for new works for employment schemes in urban areas.
The factual information requested is in the form of a tabular statement which I propose, subject to your permission, to circulate in the Official Report.
Following is the statement:
Grants for Urban Employment Schemes
|
Cork County Borough |
State Grant |
|
£ |
|
|
1968-69 |
17,000 |
|
1967-68 |
17,500 |
|
1966-67 |
14,950 |
|
1965-66 |
16,750 |
|
1964-65 |
17,500 |
|
1963-64 |
17,500 |
|
1962-63 |
17,500 |
|
1961-62 |
19,700 |
|
1960-61 |
17,500 |
|
1959-60 |
18,000 |
|
Limerick County Borough 1968-69 |
16,000 |
Is the Minister aware that the major portion of this sum is calculated to relieve unemployment during the winter months and that failure to provide the money will result in hardship to the most deserving class in our community approaching the Christmas period? Will the Minister reconsider his decision?
I think their effect in this regard was marginal, that they did not, in fact, provide a worthwhile amount of employment for the people involved and it was necessary in the circumstances to utilise the money for more urgently needed schemes.
Is the Minister aware that the amount that was allocated to the Limerick Corporation last year for this relief work for the poorest class of our community gave eight weeks employment to 70 men? If he says that that is a fringe benefit to the poorest section of the people of Limerick, I would ask him to reconsider his decision. If he has no money available, let him tell us so and we will hold flag days or engage in other charitable works to try to put bread on the table and coal on the fire for these unfortunate people throughout Christmas.
That was not a question.
Will the Minister tell us, if there is a financial crisis brought on by the Government, why are the poor and the unemployed and the underprivileged of Cork and——
Limerick.
——Limerick and other cities to be the first to suffer? The Tacateers and racketeers supporting the Government will not suffer.
That is a speech, not a question.
There is no financial crisis but in the allocation of money it was found——
The Minister took away their little Christmas box. Is that not true? He will not even give them a little Christmas box now.
Go to your Taca friends and try to raise money on behalf of the poor.
Will Deputy Coughlan please desist?
Because of the action of the Minister——
Will Deputy Coughlan please resume his seat?
