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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 9 Feb 1956

Vol. 154 No. 2

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Drainage Workers' Wages.

asked the Minister for Finance if he is aware that the wages paid to labourers on the Feale drainage scheme are far below the rates paid to road workers in County Kerry and, if so, when it is proposed to grant the drainage workers parity with the road workers.

I am aware that, as a result of a recent increase, the Kerry County Council rate for road workers is now higher than the rate paid to labourers employed on the Feale drainage scheme. The drainage rate on the Feale is the same as that paid on other arterial drainage schemes and, as has already been indicated in reply to previous questions, it is not directly related to the rate for county council road workers.

Is the Minister aware that since 1949 or 1950 his Department are paying the same rate as county councils in minor employment and rural improvement schemes? Is he further aware that he increased the wages—and rightly so—of foremen, carpenters, gangers, excavator and bull-dozer and truck and jeep drivers, whereas labourers employed on the Feale drainage scheme got an increase of only 8/- per week in two years? Will the Parliamentary Secretary now reconsider the matter and at least pay five guineas per week—the same rate as the county council? In view of the fact that the Department are already paying it to those employed by county councils on rural improvement and minor relief schemes, the Parliamentary Secretary should give the same at least to those employed on the drainage schemes.

The difficulty as regards arterial drainage is different from the minor employment and rural improvement schemes. The rural improvement or minor employment scheme is carried out within a county, but, in arterial drainage, you may touch two, three or in some cases four counties that have a different rate of wage for their county council workers. Take, for instance, the Feale. On one side of the river there is County Limerick. How can we pay the Limerick County Council rate to workers on one side of it and the Kerry County Council rate to workers on the other side of it? We tried to strike a happy medium which, in all fairness, we think we have achieved.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary not at least consider—where two or three counties are involved—that the highest rate paid by any of the three counties involved should be paid?

I will consider what can be done.

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