asked the Minister for Finance whether he will state the weekly rate of wages paid to workmen under Minor Relief Schemes in the Counties of Louth and Cavan.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wages Rates on Minor Relief Schemes.
asked the Minister for Finance whether he will state the weekly rate of wages paid to workmen under Minor Relief Schemes in the County Kilkenny.
I will answer 18 and 19 together. The wages paid under Minor Relief Schemes in Counties Cavan, Louth and Kilkenny are as follows:—
|
Cavan for 6 days |
21/- |
|
Louth for 5½ days |
21/- |
|
Kilkenny for 6 days |
24/- |
|
Kilkenny for 5½ days |
22/- |
There was an error in making up the rate in Kilkenny which has been amended retrospectively.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary say by what process or formula he proceeds when he makes out that a person can live on 21/- a week in Louth and 24/- a week in Kilkenny?
That is a subject upon which I would be very glad if there was an open discussion in the House. At the moment these rates are calculated upon agricultural rates. The agricultural rate for Cavan, as far as we have been able to ascertain it, is 3/6 a day. For the Land Commission relief works it is 3/6 a day, and on the Minor Relief Schemes it is 3/6 a day. The last £250,000 Relief Fund Scheme of 1931-1932 was at the 3/6 a day rate.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary say from what source exactly he gets this information, and as he quotes it as comparable or analogous to the rates paid for Land Commission work, why should he not take that fact into consideration when assessing the wages at 24/- a week in other counties where the Land Commission pays 27/- a week for that work?
As I said, I am very anxious to have this whole matter brought to discussion. I am very anxious that an opportunity should be given to the House to discuss on what basis wages for relief works should be made up. I am anxious that, for that purpose, we should be able to ascertain as nearly as possible the rates of agricultural and other wages in the districts. For that purpose, if the House desires, I shall read those rates of wages now. If the House does not desire that, I shall publish them in the proceedings of the House where, I think, they could be far better examined. (See Official Report, Friday, March 24.) I refer to the agricultural wages, as we have estimated them, the Land Commission relief works rate, the minor relief works rate for this year and the Land Commission relief scheme rates on the £250,000 scheme, for every county in Ireland. My view is that if these figures are put forward and Deputies have an opportunity of examining them they will be able to give us, from their more exact knowledge, information which would enable us to get, perhaps, a more exact figure for agricultural rates of wages than we now have. The figure I shall give for the agricultural rate is taken from the best sources we have, but I am deliberately putting it forward for criticism and examination. I do not think that I can be any fairer than that.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary still stand for Section 22 of the secret circular in which he issued instructions that "The rates of wages in the case of relief works should, where possible, be fixed at a lower scale than that normally paid to agricultural workers in the district"?
That is another question.
In view of the anxiety of the Parliamentary Secretary to provide an early opportunity for discussion on this matter, will he indicate when and how such a discussion can be made available.
On the Estimates, which we shall have very soon.
Surely we will not have to wait until the Estimates come before the House.
The minor relief schemes and the whole of the relief schemes come to an end on 31st of this month. I think I shall be able to show that the whole of the amount the Dáil voted for relief will be practically entirely expended by that date. At the end of that time, I propose to give the House every single piece of information I have as to how that money has been distributed. With that information in their possession, I hope Deputies will give us all the assistance they can in improving the distribution aspect of the schemes and in putting the rates of wages on a more logical basis.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary consider it fair that the Board of Works—a Government Department—should pay a rate of wages of 21/- per week and justify that rate on the ground that it is lower than the agricultural rate—a rate which is abnormally depressed by reason of the phase through which the agricultural industry is passing?
I am not aware that it is below the agricultural rate.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary read paragraph 22 of his own circular? (quoted).
That regulation has been in operation to the knowledge of the Deputy and to the knowledge of every member of this House for the last ten years.
Is it withdrawn?
No; it is not withdrawn.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary say how the error occurred as regards the payment of wages in the town of Kilkenny?
As a matter of fact, I am quite as puzzled as the Deputy is.
Was the Parliamentary Secretary afraid of being torn limb from limb——
I am not afraid to go on any relief scheme with the whole of the Labour Party beside me and defend my action.
You had better take a few Civic Guards.
I shall not take anybody.