asked the Minister for Lands if he will state the rate of wages paid to the persons at present employed by the Land Commission on the Gannon Estate at Laragh, Kilcock, and whether such persons are insured under the National Health and Unemployment Insurance Acts.
Ceisteanna.—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wages on Kildare Estate.
Mr. Boland
The rate of wages paid to labourers at present employed by the Land Commission on the Gannon Estate at Laragh, Kilcock, County Kildare is 27/- per week of 48 working hours. Casual labourers employed by the Land Commission on land improvement work are not insurable under the Unemployment Insurance Acts, but they are insured under the National Health Insurance Acts. Gangers, assistant gangers and tradesmen are, however, insured under both of these Acts.
In view of the fact that it has been the policy of the Land Commission to pay their workers a higher rate of wages than the lower agricultural rate, will the Minister say why only 27/- a week, which is equivalent to the agricultural rate, is paid in this case?
Mr. Boland
That is the rate paid.
Surely the Minister will acknowledge, as he has stated in this House, that it was the policy of the Land Commission to pay a rate of wages higher than the low agricultural rate. Has that policy now been changed?
Mr. Boland
The rate now is 3/- higher than it was.
We had from the Minister a statement to the effect that on Land Commission schemes wages were fixed at a higher rate than the lower agricultural rate. Has that policy been changed now?