Communications and transit > Enquiry on national public works

The amount expended by the societies out of their own funds, in connection with
these works, is estimated at £18,448.
The scheme has, since its inauguration, provided a considerable amount of employ¬
ment of a temporary nature, inasmuch as the works detailed above—while useful and
desirable in themselves—would not have been undertaken without State aid. In addition,
continuous employment has been afforded to a large number of hands by the setting-up
of the manufacture of processed cheese and by the provision of facilities for the production
of sterilised tinned cream, the latter representing a new development in the dairying
industry in this country.
(d) Canals and Inland Waterways, etc,
Under this category come certain schemes controlled by the Office of Public Works,
such as improvement works and defensive works against floods on certain rivers.
These operations were carried out under arterial drainage legislation enacted by the
“ Oireachtas ”, and were financed partly by free grants made by the Central Government
and partly by free grants made by local authorities, the balance of the cost being raised by
means of a charge on the benefited lands.
The expenditure on arterial drainage throughout the State for the five years 1929
to 1934 was approximately £620,000, towards which the State contributed, by way of
free grants, £243,000. The State also issues loans to enable the local authorities and
riparian owners to provide their respective proportions of the costs.
The largest scheme of arterial drainage under construction during the period dealt
with is that of the River Barrow and its tributaries, on which approximately £345,000,
out of a total estimate of £550,000, was expended during the five years under review.
The programme of works for 1934-35 and 1935-36 contemplates an expenditure of
about £75,000 in each year.
The execution of arterial drainage works is undertaken directly by the Commissioners
of Public Works and the expenditure on labour is approximately 60% of the total cost.
(e) State Afforestation.
I.
The following table shows the respective areas of land acquired and land planted in
connection with State afforestation schemes during the past five years.
(a) Area of land Area of land
Season acquired planted
(acres) (acres)
1929- 30 6,124 3,069
1930- 31 2,030 3,565
1931- 32 4,336 3,646
1932- 33 •, 3,900 3,564
1933- 34 10,707 4,179
(b) During the current financial year, it is hoped to complete the acquisition of over
20,000 acres of land for afforestation, and, up to the present date, some 18,000 acres have
been acquired. The programme of planting for the current season provides for the planting
of between 5,000 and 6,000 acres of new plantations.
(c) Up to the season 1932-33, the average rate of planting had been about 3,500 acres
per year, but, in that season, a scheme was approved by the Government which provided
for the planting of 4,000 acres during the season 1933-34, 5,000 acres during the season