asked the Minister for Lands if he will reconsider decisions in regard to redundancy in the case of forestry workers in remote areas where no other employment is available.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Forestry Workers' Redundancy.
25.
I would refer the Deputy to my recent reply to the debate on the Supplementary Estimate for Forestry on 24th March, 1971—Dáil Debates, Volume 252, columns 1181, 1182, 1183—wherein I outlined the general position in regard to redundancies. It was only after the most careful appraisal that decisions were taken in relation to lay-offs in particular areas. The comparative position in relation to work availability as between different areas has to be the prime determining factor but I can assure the Deputy that the Department is particularly reluctant to lay off men in remote areas of low employment; apart from social considerations lay-offs in such areas can create difficulties for the Department itself in the event of later work expansion.
If the Deputy has any particular case in mind, I shall be glad to have the matter looked into on hearing from him.
Is that the reply the Minister gave when he said that because of the fact that the Minister for Finance, who is sitting beside him, was not making the necessary money available for the coming year he would have to lay off men for whom work would be available if the money were there to pay them?
That is not what I said.
That is quite correct. It is not the way the Minister said it but it is what he said.
I did not accuse the Minister for Finance in the manner suggested by Deputy Tully.
Will the Minister not admit that we are reverting to the position which was complained about in the fifties, that the forests are not being properly looked after and that thinnings are not being carried out because there is not sufficient money to meet the increased cost? We had this on the Estimate and the internal costs of the Minister's office have gone up by 60 per cent and the money available for the payment of wages has gone up by only 30 per cent.
What I did say was that as a result of the Estimate not expanding this year as much as last year, we would have to face the fact— and I said this quite candidly—that there would be redundancies. I did not put it in the way in which Deputy Tully chose to put it. In regard to what Deputy O'Donovan said I do not agree that thinnings are not being carried out. This work is being done properly. I am quite satisfied about that.
Question No. 26.
Do I take it from the Minister's reply that he will review the position in remote areas?
Yes.
Does that apply to all areas?