asked the Minister for Lands if he has received a repeated request from or on behalf of the men employed on a forestry scheme at Kinnity, County Offaly, for an increase on the present wage of 25/- per week; if he will state how the present figure is arrived at, and what action, if any, he proposes taking in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Forestry Scheme Wages.
Mr. Boland
Two requests have been received from the labourers employed at Kinnity forest for an increase in their present rate of pay of 25/- a week. The rate originally paid at this centre was 22/- a week, being an increase of 2/- over the average local rate for agricultural labourers as disclosed by the returns collected by the Department of Industry and Commerce. The rate was raised to 25/- per week in 1935 and the summer hours of work at Kinnity (and other forests) was recently reduced from 50 to 48 hours a week without any reduction in wages. No action by way of altering the rate is contemplated pending the fixing of local minimum rates by the Agricultural Wages Board.