Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 23 May 1974

Vol. 272 No. 14

Committee on Finance. - Vote 9: Public Works and Buildings (Resumed).

Debate resumed on the following motion:

That a sum not exceeding £14,981,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the period commencing on the 1st day of April, 1974, and ending on the 31st day of December, 1974, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of Public Works; for expenditure in respect of public buildings; for the maintenance of certain parks and public works; for the execution and maintenance of drainage and other engineering works; for expenditure arising from damage to the property of External Governments; and for payment of a grant-in-aid.

—(Minister for Local Government.)

Mr. Crinion

Before Question Time I was dealing with the amount of good work done on the drainage of the Boyne, particularly along the Blackwater. It is a sight for sore eyes and it is a credit to the Board of Works. They have an extremely good work force and this scheme gave an enormous amount of employment in an area notable for its high unemployment rate.

When I was first elected in 1961, an engineer told me that some type of industry was necessary to absorb the unemployed in the south Meath and north-west Kildare areas. At that time the only source of employment was for 13 or 14 weeks in the summer on the clearing of drains, and it was pathetic to see those people going back on unemployment assistance for the rest of the year except, perhaps, for a couple of weeks relief work on the roads around Christmas. The Boyne drainage also gave employment to a number of uneconomic holders who would not have been able to get work locally otherwise. The only alternative would have been to travel to Dublin to work on buildings. Therefore, that scheme, as well as helping socially has done a tremendous amount of good for adjoining farmers.

There is one criticism in this respect. An effort should be made to employ the gangs nearer home. At the moment they can make their own transport arrangements but it seems wasteful to see men from the Kildare area going one way and men from the Clonmellon area travelling in the other direction. Perhaps there could be some rationalisation in this respect. On the other hand, this scheme has meant the building up of skills by training. Men have been taught to drive heavy vehicles and this means that they will be able to obtain employment elsewhere later, if the Board of Works are not able to absorb them.

There is one other criticism I have come across and it relates to the deposition of spoil on farmers' land. Some farmers are fortunate in that they escape this, but their neighbours have large deposits. If their lands have benefited from the drainage scheme they cannot then claim compensation and they must bear the cost of spreading the spoil.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance (Mr. Kenny)

Does the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries not give a subsidy for the levelling of the spoil?

Mr. Crinion

Very rarely.

Mr. Kenny

I had a deputation from Meath—I think the Deputy accompanied them—in regard to spoil disposal and we were asked whether the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries would give a grant towards the levelling of spoil. I do not know what became of that but the Meath County Committee of Agriculture were to examine it. When the Deputy resumes next week, if he had that information it would be useful.

Mr. Crinion

I will try to have it by next week.

Mr. Kenny

It would be a better way than the compensatory method which the Office of Public Works adopt.

Mr. Crinion

It would.

Mr. Kenny

They did it on the main drains.

Mr. Crinion

It was since that deputation went to the Parliamentary Secretary that he started the work of burying the spoil of the main channels. That is very much appreciated.

Mr. Kenny

I hope it redounds to my credit at the next election. That is a bit distant, if I may say so.

Mr. Crinion

Some of the Parliamentary Secretary's constituents are in Meath and they will reap the benefit. This work gives employment and it sets a standard for the employees in the area.

The Parliamentary Secretary referred to the building of new post offices. I was disappointed to see that there is to be no new post office for Navan or for Kells. Both of the present post offices are old buildings. The one in Navan is on a very busy street where it is practically impossible to park. It could be moved nearer to the car park.

Acting Chairman (Mr. M.E. Dockrell)

That would arise more appropriately on the vote for the Department of Posts and Telegraphs.

Mr. Crinion

The Parliamentary Secretary mentioned the new post offices he will be building in the coming year.

Acting Chairman

The Deputy is broadening the debate.

Mr. Crinion

I agree. The Parliamentary Secretary also mentioned our national heritage. The position with regard to records in Ireland could scarcely be worse, as he said. We have not been doing very much to preserve our national monuments. The Office of Public Works are doing a certain amount of this work, but not sufficient. Work started on St. John's Castle in Trim some years ago. The outer walls are being restored and preserved. Trim has reaped the benefit in winning the tidy towns competition.

I suggest to the Parliamentary Secretary that he should co-operate with the local development association who are quite interested in modelling Trim Castle on Bunratty Castle. It is a fine building. The cornerstones are absolutely straight. They are perpendicular from the ground to the top which is over 100 feet, I suppose. It was a work of art when it was built originally. When the work is nearing completion the Parliamentary Secretary might consider the possibility of having it used like Bunratty. The people there have many original ideas. It could be used as a museum or for keeping the history of County Meath. It should be a centre piece for the town.

Some years ago I went through buildings on the outskirts of Copenhagen on the road to Elsinore where people could see what their heritage was like. There was also an enclosed museum with different farm implements. It is interesting for people to see what progress has been made in building over the years. We have something unique in that we have thatched houses. Villages of thatched cottages have been built for tourism. In my own constituency the Rathcairn Development Association are keen on something like this. We should consider preserving old homes that may be in danger of falling down. The Office of Public Works could do the work. Naturally the owner of the property would have to contribute a fair amount of money. In this way buildings of historic value would be preserved for the nation and for posterity. People could live in them but they would be under the watchful eye of the Office of Public Works.

Progress reported; Committee to sit again.