asked the Minister for Finance if he is now in a position to say whether a bonus or other extra pay will be given to the lock-keepers and other employees of the Shannon Navigation Office; whether he is aware that these employees are, in certain cases, paid as low as 15/6 per week, and whether in the circumstances he will be prepared to review the whole of the salary scales as applied to these men.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Remuneration of Lock-Keepers.
I am now in a position to inform the Deputy that an emergency bonus will be paid to the majority of the employees on the Shannon Navigation. With regard to the second part of the question I would refer the Deputy to the reply given by me on 20th October, 1943, to a question on this subject by Deputy P. Hogan in which it was pointed out that the rates were fixed according to whether a post was regarded as a part-time post or otherwise: that the rates varied from 10/- a week to 60/- a week, and that each of the collectors has a house free of rent. I am not prepared to authorise a general review of the wages payable to this staff other than on the basis of payment of emergency bonus.