asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the number of men employed in the Forestry Section of his Department on (a) the work of tree planting and other manual work connected therewith, and (b) on clerical and supervisory work both indoor and outdoor and, further whether he will state separately in respect of (a) and (b) above, the average rate of pay for each grade and the average number of hours worked.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Forestry Employment.
The number of labourers employed on State forestry varies according to the season, the number employed during the planting season being very much larger than at any other time of the year. The peak period in the numbers employed is in March, and in that month of this year the actual number of labourers employed was 1,310. On the completion of the season's planting the number of labourers employed will probably fall to about 500.
The total amount paid in wages to forest labour for the year ending March 31st, 1935, was £49,538, giving an average weekly payment of 26/4 per man.
As regards the clerical and supervisory staff, I would refer the Deputy to the published Estimates for Public Services, 1935-36, under the heading of Vote No. 55, where full particulars are given of the numbers and salary scales of the various classes of the permanent staff of the forestry division.
Inclusive of the dinner interval, the working hours at all forests, save on Saturdays, are:—
November to February (inclusive— 8.0 a.m. to 5.0 p.m., or daylight to dark; March to October (inclusive)—8.0 a.m. to 6.0 p.m., or to dark, if earlier.
The working hours on Saturdays are to 1 p.m., subject to the prescribed conditions of service.
The working hours for the clerical staff, etc., are the normal hours laid down for the Civil Service generally, the minimum time of attendance being 42 hours per week.