To ask the Minister for Defence whether the work of rebuilding the Aerodrome at Fermoy has been entrusted to a local builder named T. O'Mahoney; whether he is aware that O'Mahoney had only 15 men employed on the job, and that there are a large number of workmen in the town unemployed; whether, despite the fact that this work can be done by local workmen, the Military Officer in charge has put on to the job a number of soldiers in uniform, and if he can say what are the relative rates of pay for the men employed by the contractor and the men employed as soldiers to do the same class of work.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. - THE FERMOY AERODROME.
The aerodrome at Fermoy is not being rebuilt. It was decided to cover one shed with corrugated iron sheets, and the work entailing the employment of 15 or 20 men at most was given to Mr. Mahoney. His men gave trouble by refusing to hold down the sheets on the shed in a gale, and soldiers had to be put on the job in order to get it done. Except in this case soldiers were not employed on the same work as civilians.