asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider extending the specified area in south-west Cork where farmers have their means assessed on a land valuation basis for unemployment assistance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Assessment of Means.
42.
In fixing the geographical limits of the amended scheme of unemployment assistance for smallholders in 1965 the Government adopted substantially the same areas as those recognised by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for the pilot area and other similar schemes administered by that Department. These areas represent in the widest sense of the term the congested areas of the country where the small farm problem is concentrated and the difficulties of the small farmer are, generally speaking, more acute and the volume of wage-earning employment available is lowest. In the circumstances I do not propose to extend the present generous limits of the scheme. It is, of course, inevitable that in any scheme of this nature the geographical limits—irrespective of where the line of demarcation is drawn—will cause some dissatisfaction in bordering districts which are not included in the scheme.
The Minister mentioned the line of demarcation. Would he consider revising the demarcation lines and making them parish boundaries instead of electoral division, which are unknown quantities now? Most people do not know what the electoral division is. Would the Minister not agree that pilot schemes are based on parish boundaries? To put it in a nutshell, what I want the Minister to do is to establish parish boundaries and if part of a parish is within the area to include the remainder of that parish. I know there will always be someone across the border but, if I may put another question, in most cases it will not make any difference in County Cork because the land is——
This is a speech. This is not a question.
To put it in a nutshell, would the Minister consider parish boundaries instead of electoral divisions?
I will look at the individual case the Deputy mentioned, but I would like to point out that at the time this boundary was drawn up——
Would the Minister grant me an audience and I am sure I will convince him?
I will not.
Mr. J. Lenehan
Could I ask the Minister if he would reduce this sum of £20 per cow?
The question relates to south-west Cork.
That is a separate question, but I will keep it in mind for the next Budget. I should point out to Deputy Murphy that the limits drawn were the widest limits possible to conform with existing limits. If they were drawn under the 1881 and 1809 Land Acts they would be much more restricted.
Parish boundaries are well defined and would be more applicable than electoral divisions.
I will discuss the matter on that basis when I grant the Deputy an interview.