asked the Minister for Finance the number of workers employed in arterial drainage in each of the years from 1980 to 1986, inclusive.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Arterial Drainage.
10.
The number of workers employed on arterial drainage schemes on 1 January each year from 1980 was:
|
1980 |
1,105 |
|
1981 |
1,191 |
|
1982 |
1,192 |
|
1983 |
1,188 |
|
1984 |
1,119 |
|
1985 |
943 |
|
1986 |
756 |
At present there are 679 workers employed on arterial drainage schemes.
It seems from the figures given that there is a substantial reduction in the number of people employed in arterial drainage and I am very disappointed at that. The arterial drainage programme has been at a standstill since this Coalition took over and no new scheme has started since then. Can the Minister of State give me an assurance that she will encourage the Minister for Finance to give her an increased allocation of money for arterial drainage so that a new scheme or two may be started in the present year or possibly next year?
I will answer that question even though I think questions in relation to policy and expenditure in arterial drainage would be more properly dealt with under separate questions. However, on that issue the Deputy knows well that the last Fianna Fáil Government decided in October 1982 that the commissioners should carry out a review of the arterial drainage policy for submission to the Government for obvious reasons, for competing demands made on capital resources. This decision was reaffirmed in February 1983 when the planning of all future arterial drainage schemes was halted by Government direction pending the completion of that review. I understand that that review is now with the Minister for Finance and I hope on its way to Government, and we should have the outcome of it shortly.
The drop in employment in 1986 even on 1985 is substantial. Were those workers who were laid off temporary or superannuated? With regard to the review, I ask the Minister of State, who is new to the office, for God's sake to come up with the result of that review. More time has been spent asking questions about that review in the last number of years than it is worth.
On the last part of the question — I take it to be a question— I have just said that the review is now completed and with the Minister for Finance and we hope it will be before Government soon and that we will hear of it. I understand that all those employed on the schemes were permanently employed but all the projects were finite projects and as the projects were wound down or terminated redundancies were unavoidable.
I congratulate the Minister of State on her new position. Has she seen the report of the review body? Can she tell us exactly when this report was made available to the Minister for Finance and when does she expect the Government to make a decision thereon?
The question of the review is a separate question.
It has been with the Minister for Finance for a good while.