asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware of the great amount of unemployment in County Leitrim, resulting mainly from the number of persons thrown out of employment in work on turf production and coal-mining; and, if so, whether he will consider making more money available for employment schemes such as drainage and accommodation roads, to prevent the present large drift of people from the county.

Additional moneys are being made available to County Leitrim, in conjunction with other counties, for the provision of employment on road and drainage maintenance works for persons disemployed there owing to discontinuance of the production of hand-won turf.

The question as to whether participation in these schemes should be extended to persons formerly employed in connection with coal-mining is at present under consideration.