asked the Minister for Local Government (a) the year in which the employment allowance to farmers was introduced, (b) the amount allowed (weekly) and (c) the employment allowance made in 1970.
33.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Farmers' Employment Allowances.
32.
asked the Minister for Local Government whether, in view of the fact that the number of workers on the land is decreasing and in order to encourage farmers to employ extra workers, he will take steps to increase the employment allowance to £52 per annum.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 33 together.
The employment allowance was introduced in 1934-35. The allowance varied from county to county and, in respect of that year, ranged from a maximum of £2 18s 10d in County Meath to a maximum of £5 8s 4d in County Kerry. Those figures are not comparable with the present standard maximum employment allowance of £17, in respect of which no change is at present contemplated, which is paid in relief of the balance of the rates remaining after the deduction of the primary allowance now 100 per cent and the supplementary allowance.
In view of the fact that this £17 allowance was introduced in 1934 and that since then about 80,000 workers have left employment on the land, would the Minister not now consider increasing this figure to encourage farmers, especially small farmers, to employ more people?
I do not contemplate increasing the figure at the present time.
Surely, in view of the decrease in the value of money and since the agricultural wage has been trebled in that time, is it not now necessary to increase the amount? Are the Government interested at all in the survival of the small farmers?
That is a separate question.
The answer is obvious. As the record shows we are extremely interested in assisting agriculture and, in particular, in assisting the small farmer.
The Government have been very successful in driving these people from the land.