asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state (i) the number and category of employees placed on rotational employment at the Condensed Milk Company's premises at Lansdowne, Limerick, (ii) the nature and probable duration of such rotational employment, and (iii) the reasons therefor; further, if he will request the Dairy Disposals Board to employ such workers on a full-time basis, especially over the Christmas period.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Limerick Condensed Milk Company.
According to the information which I have received from the Condensed Milk Company the answers to parts (1), (2), and (3) of the Deputy's question are:—
(1) One hundred employees, comprising 76 general workers, four firemen and 20 lorry drivers.
(2) The rotational employment of these workers commenced on the 18th November, 1954, and during the four-week period from that date to the 15th December one half of the 100 workers involved have been employed during the first and third weeks and the other half during the second and fourth weeks. For the period from 16th to 24th December the whole 100 workers will be employed full time and the factory will be closed from the evening of 24th December to the morning of the 6th January. During the whole of the latter period the workers will receive full pay. Rotational employment will recommence on the 6th January and, provided that there is sufficient repair and maintenance work to be done, will continue until the date of resumption of manufacture of condensed milk which normally occurs in April.
(3) The manufacture of condensed milk is not carried on during the winter months and rotational employment of workers at the factory has been in operation for many years in order to avoid having to disemploy some workers for the whole of the non-manufacturing season.
As regards the final part of the question, it will be seen from my reply to part (2) of the question that the Condensed Milk Company have already arranged, as has been their normal practice, to employ these workers full time during the Christmas period. It would not be reasonable to expect the company to employ all the workers on a full-time basis during the remainder of the slack season as the company would not have sufficient work for them to do.