asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he is aware that the wages paid by the Kildare County Council to its employees who are engaged on turf work are substantially less than the wages paid by the Turf Development Board for similar work in the same areas; and, if so, if he will sanction an increase in wages for the county council employees engaged on turf work.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wages of Turf Workers (Kildare).
I am not aware that the position is as stated by the Deputy. The wages paid by the Kildare County Council to persons employed on county council turf schemes are not less than those paid by the Turf Development Board. If the Deputy is referring to the value of the board and lodging provided by the board to their workers in turf camps, I would point out that these concessions are regarded as a recompense to such persons for having to leave their homes and family surroundings to take up employment on the Kildare bogs. The council workers are recruited locally and reside in their own homes, and their position is more comparable to that of other workers employed by the county council.
I can see no justification for a proposal to increase the existing differential between the wages paid to turf workers and those paid to workers in agricultural employment.