asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that the Employment Period Order, which operates each year from June to October, imposes great hardship on the Fenit dockers and their dependents because they reside in the Ballinahaglish District Electoral Division; and if he will consider exempting these men from the Employment Period Order in future, the only effect of which is to compel them to apply for home assistance.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Fenit Dockers.
Employment Period Orders are necessarily made in general terms and it is not practicable to provide for exception in favour of individuals or groups of individuals. The District Electoral Division of Ballynahaglish is not a scheduled division. Having regard to the procedure adopted in selecting districts for scheduling, it would not be possible to include Ballynahaglish without including many adjoining electoral divisions, and electoral divisions elsewhere in which general conditions are not dissimilar.