asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state in respect of the Agricultural Wages Board whether the board has power under Section 17 of the Agricultural Wages Act, 1936, to prescribe separate minimum rates of wages in respect of (a) a county, (b) an electoral division, (c) a townland, (d) part of a townland, and (e) a special part of a townland.
Written Answers. - Powers of Agricultural Wages Board.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state in respect of the Agricultural Wages Board whether that board, having prescribed a minimum rate of wages in respect of a county or townland, has power to prescribe an additional or differential rate for part of a county or townland, or for a special class of agricultural worker in a townland.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state in respect of the Agricultural Wages Board whether that board has power to decide what constitutes a special class of agricultural workers for the purposes of the minimum rates orders.
I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to reply to Questions Nos. 99, 100 and 101 together.
Sub-section (2) of Section 17 of the Agricultural Wages Act, 1936, empowers the Agricultural Wages Board to fix minimum rates of wages for any special class of agricultural workers. It would appear to follow that the board is empowered to determine what constitutes a special class. The same sub-section also empowers the board to apply any prescribed minimum rate to any special part of a wages district or to any special class in a special part of such district. Generally the wages district is the same as the administrative county.