asked the Minister for Agriculture if, in view of the continued high cost of living and low rates of wages paid to agricultural workers, he will make representations to the Agricultural Wages Board with a view to the issue of a wages Order providing for an increase in the existing wages of such workers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Workers' Wages.
I have already explained my position in this matter in replies to previous similar questions. In particular I would refer the Deputy to my reply to the question addressed to me on 21st October, 1943.
Bearing in mind the present low rate of wages paid to agricultural workers, which is especially low owing to the steep rise in prices, and as the person in charge of the welfare of agriculture in this country will the Minister not make special representations to the Agricultural Wages Board to review the position of agricultural workers so that they may secure an increase commensurate with the steep rise in prices and obtain a wage which will be sufficient to permit them to discharge their civic and domestic responsibilities?
The Deputy should know that the Agricultural Wages Board is autonomous and the Deputy's Party took considerable care when the Bill was going through the Dáil that I should not interfere with them. I had intended to have some say in the matter and the Deputy's Party strongly objected at the time.
The Minister is absolutely wrong in suggesting that the object of the Labour Party at any time was to prevent the Minister from compelling the board to pay high rates of wages but the Minister knows very well that he has stuffed the board with a collection of yes-men who will do nothing simply because they will not have the Minister's approval if they raise the wages.
The Deputy's past efforts to try to keep the board independent do not suit his book now.
Does not the Minister know very well that he selected the representatives of the workers on the board from Fianna Fáil Cumainn?
And why not?
"And why not"? he says. He is going to elect the President from a Fianna Fáil Cumann also.
They represent labour as much as that Party.
I assume the House is aware that questions must be finished within a certain time. I shall adjourn the questions to another day if Ministers do not get a hearing.