asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware that it has been decided by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company that 18 of their clerical staff in Dublin are redundant, and that the company is proceeding to transfer some of that staff on loan to Northern Ireland and some on permanent transfer to Great Britain; and if he will cause inquiry to be made into this matter, with a view to inducing the company to continue to maintain their staffs in the way in which our industrial and business firms generally are doing, and to preventing harsh permanent changes being made because of temporary emergency conditions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - L.M.S. Staff.
I am informed that the traffic handled by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company at Dublin has shown a falling-off of 37 per cent in 1942 as compared with 1941, and that this reduction, with the reductions of previous years, has rendered a proportion of the Dublin clerical staff redundant. Of the 18 clerks stated to be redundant at present I have learned from inquiries that arrangements are being made to lend 12 to the Great Northern Railway Company and to transfer the remaining six to other dêpots.
With regard to the latter part of the Deputy's question the position of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company is not quite comparable with that of undertakings whose activities are located wholly in this country. One of the conditions of service applicable to all its employees is liability to serve at any depot on the system. I have been informed that the company is not proposing to dispense with the services of any of the clerks concerned. In the circumstances it is not clear that I can take any effective action in the matter.
Is not the Minister aware that this company earns a very substantial dividend from the trade of this country, and is he not also aware that the export trade is even increasing? Apart from that, and the fact that the company depends a lot on this company, is not the Minister aware that this company does not make any arrangements at all by which any facilities are granted to people who join the Army in this country during the emergency, whereas they bring the pay up to the present company pay on behalf of those who join the British Army? Does he consider that anything can be done in cases like this where permanent changes are being made from residences in Dublin and elsewhere in the country to Great Britain simply because there is a certain falling off of traffic?
The Deputy has asked a number of questions which I am not in a position to answer.
Does the Minister offer no advice or protection of any kind to the Irish employees of the company here who are being permanently transferred to Great Britain, with the various implications involved, both as regards the shifting of their families and their liability to military service there?
The Deputy is well aware that I have no official responsibility in the matter.
Surely the Minister realises that here is a company which has a substantial interest in the trade of this country and is profiting very considerably therefrom. Has he made any arrangement to see that a certain amount of fairness is observed by the company in dealing with employees, in the same way as would apply to ordinary Irish companies when dealing with their employees?
Apparently the Deputy wants me to express an opinion about the manner in which a private company, not under our statutory control, conducts its affairs. I am not quite clear that the Deputy's question should have been allowed on the Order Paper.
Is the Minister satisfied to accept the situation and to make no representations of any kind? Surely, when questions arise affecting the vital interests of Irish families and of employees in a concern established here, there is a case for making Ministerial representations to the company?
That is a different matter.