asked the Minister for Health if he will inquire into the wages and conditions of employment of the domestic staff at the County Home and St. Vincent's Hospital, Tullamore, and further, if a trade union has made a claim for a wage increase on their behalf and, if so, what action he proposes to take in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Tullamore Hospital Staff.
The wages and conditions approved for the domestic staff at the County Home and St. Vincent's Hospital, Tullamore, are similar to those applicable to domestic staffs in district institutions throughout the country. I am not aware that any representations have been made by a trade union on behalf of the staff concerned.
I have recently sanctioned proposals to pay, with effect from 1st November last, a bonus of 9/- per week to male officers and 6/- per week to female officers (less appropriate deductions for rations) additional to the bonuses payable to such staff before that date. I have not received any other proposals from the local authority in relation to the staffs concerned.
Is the Minister notaware that as far back as June last year a number of complaints were made to the county manager in respect to the rate of wages and, above all, the conditions of employment, especially in respect of the hours, in the manner in which the domestic staff in particular was being imposed on by not being given proper meal breaks, and by being kept after hours? Has this matter been brought to his attention by the county manager?
The Deputy has crowde an awful lot of things into his supple mentary. I could not say yes or no But there have been complaints.
What I am asking the Minister is, what is the remedy for the case when the county manager is not attending to his duties and we are not in a position to make a formal appeal to the Minister? That is the position in this case.
We will see about it.