asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he intends, in response to representations from the Great Southern Railways Company, to introduce an Amending Railways Bill providing for a disimprovement in the compensation provisions of the Railways Act, 1924, as applying to redundant railway employees; if he will state whether such Amending Bill will operate retrospectively in respect of cases already decided by the Arbitrator, and whether, before drafting the Amending Bill, he consulted the representatives of the railway employees as well as the Railway Company.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - REDUNDANT RAILWAY EMPLOYEES.
The interpretation of some of the provisions of the Third Schedule to the Railways Act, 1924, adopted by the arbitrator, indicates that such provisions have not the effect contemplated when the Act was passed. The question whether an amending Bill should, therefore, be introduced, is under consideration, but I am not in a position to anticipate its terms. Should a Bill be introduced, it will embody the Government's view of the intentions of the Oireachtas and not necessarily such representations as may be made either by the Railway Company or its employees. Should, however, either party wish to make representations to me, I will be glad to consider them. The Company has already done so.