asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health to state if the minutes of the meeting of the Barrow Drainage Board, held on April 27th, 1942, were received by him about May 19th, 1942; whether the board, at the meeting mentioned, recommended an increase of 2/- per week to workers, and other increases to gangers and overseers, the increased amounts to be paid from the date of the commencement of the work this year; whether seven subsequent communications were sent to his Department and to the Department of Finance between the months of May and September; if he will state the date when he sanctioned the increase, and the reason why the arrears were only authorised to be paid from July 1st, 1942; and if he will now sanction payment of the arrears due from April, 1942.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Barrow Drainage—Employees' Wages.
The minutes of the meeting of the Barrow Drainage Board held on the 27th April, 1942, were received in my Department on the 19th May. I would point out to the Deputy that approval to an increase proposed by the Barrow Drainage Board to workers does not rest with my Department but with the Department of Finance. It was not until the 23rd June that the Barrow Drainage Board addressed the Department of Finance direct in this matter. There were seven communications addressed by the secretary to the drainage board to the Department of Finance and the Department of Local Government and Public Health. They did not all deal with the question of an increase in wages to workers, but were concerned with other matters and, moreover, they were not all addressed to the Department of Public Health. Sanction to the increase proposed was given by the Minister for Finance on the 16th September with effect from the 1st July, 1942, and was communicated to the Barrow Drainage Board on the 18th September. It is not proposed to review the matter at this stage.
Would the Minister give the reason why the workers concerned have been deprived of the increase of 2/- per week for three months—dating from April instead of July?
There were several considerations of general application which had to be weighed before a decision could be arrived at on the general question.
Would he give the principal reason why workers concerned were deprived of that small increase? Is this a case where a civil servant is allowed to use a blue pencil to the detriment of the workers, with the approval of the Minister?
I would say not.