asked the Minister for Finance whether he has received a copy of a resolution passed by the Killarney Branch of the Post Office Workers' Union protesting against the stabilisation of the cost-of-living bonus, while the prices of all the ordinary commodities of every-day life continue to rise, and whether in view of the fact that it appears to have been impossible to prevent prices from soaring, he will reconsider this whole question, especially in the case of the lower grades in the Civil Service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Stabilisation of Civil Service Bonus.
I have seen a copy of the resolution referred to by the Deputy. The decision to stabilise the Civil Service cost-of-living bonus was taken in the public interest and was arrived at only after careful consideration of all the relevant facts and circumstances. The question of modifying the stabilisation of bonus is being kept under constant review, but the Deputy will appreciate that the financial situation, and considerations of public interest generally, have hitherto precluded any change in the stabilisation arrangements.
Will the Minister say whether the matter of modifying the stabilisation order is at present under consideration?
It is always under consideration.
Will the Minister bear in mind that, notwithstanding the attempt to control inflation to which he has referred, the cost-of-living index figure, according to the statistics published by the Department of Industry and Commerce, has risen by over 30 per cent. during the past two years, while workers' wages have either remained static or at most have increased by a small percentage? In view of that tendency, which apparently cannot be controlled by the Government, will the Minister now intimate that the Government cannot persist in a policy of keeping wages low when they failed so utterly to control prices?
The matter is receiving active and constant consideration.