asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he has given consideration to the question of formulating proposals for the provision of constant employment for building workers so as to encourage the return to Ireland of skilled building operatives who left the country in recent years to take up employment in Britain.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Employment of Building Operatives.
The Government does not contemplate taking any powers of control of building activities other than those now being exercised. The Deputy is, no doubt, familiar with the proposals outlined in the White Paper entitled "The Post-War Building Programme", which was presented to the Oireachtas. These proposals are designed to ensure maximum employment in the building industry, having regard to the limited supplies of materials available. The building programme for many years ahead will be adequate to provide full employment for all skilled building workers, assuming that the position concerning building materials continues to improve. In the circumstances, I consider that there is every encouragement to such workers, who emigrated during the war, to return.
In view of the anticipated shortage of skilled building trade operatives, would the Minister consider taking the initiative, as between builders on the one hand and trade unions on the other hand, in formulating some scheme whereby constant employment would be assured in this country, notwithstanding weather or other conditions, so that skilled building trade operatives would be guaranteed regular employment and thus encouraged to come back to participate in national house-building activities here?
I think that is a matter which might usefully be discussed between the employers' organisations and the workers' unions concerned in this trade. If the Government were to attempt to operate a scheme which would make effective a guarantee of that kind, it would involve taking powers of control over the industry-which I think everybody regards as being undesirable.
I want to ascertain the Minister's opinion in the matter. Therefore, I ask if he would take the initiative in arranging discussions of this character, with a view to projecting the minds of employers and trade unions on the desirability of arranging an organised employment programme such as would be calculated to induce skilled building trade operatives to come back here for building activities. At this stage I am not suggesting that the Minister should take powers of control. I am suggesting that he should project the minds of these people on to the problem, in view of the national advantages to this country of doing so.
There is in existence, and meeting regularly under the auspices of my Department, a committee composed of representatives of building employers and labour unions, discussing all aspects of the labour problem in connection with house-building.
I think the Minister knows that none of those discussions has gone so far as to try to evolve some kind of organised plan by which, if people come back from Britain to work in the building industry, they would be assured of constant employment here. Would the Minister even consider endeavouring to initiate discussions with that object in view? I am not suggesting at this stage that he should take any powers in the matter. My main concern is to ensure that their minds will be projected on that problem.
They have been requested to consider specifically the problem of the probable scarcity of skilled workers.
I will put that question to the Minister again.