asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he is aware that the County Dublin Commissioner has, in the case of the county council carters employed in the Balrothery area, almost cancelled out their already inadequate bonus of 12/-a week by reducing their rate of pay for working on Saturday from 15/- to 7/6; and whether, having in mind the great strain which the present high cost of living imposes on a worker who has to maintain a horse and cart as well as himself and his family, he will intervene to have the original wage restored in the case of the employees concerned.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Council Employees.
The Deputy does not appear to have been correctly informed as to the position of carters in the Balrothery area. Carters are employed at a daily rate and it has always been the practice in Balrothery to pay one-half the daily rate when a half-day only is worked. There has been no change in that position so far as Balrothery area is concerned.
Surely the Minister is misinformed. The position with regard to these carters is that, while they were paid on a daily basis, they were in fact employed by the week and did receive a full day's pay for the work on Saturday and the reduction in force has been on the ground that they only worked a normal half-day on Saturday. It is on the ground that there is discriminatory treatment exercised with regard to the carters, who are in fact, so far as work is concerned, employed weekly, that the objection is being raised.
I have nothing to add to the answer which I have given, which is strictly correct.
Under the Conditions of Employment Act, are these men not entitled to a weekly half-holiday with pay?
They are getting it.