asked the Minister for Defence if it is the practice of his Department to pay barrack caretakers (a) minimum scales of pay as defined by the Agricultural Wages Board, (b) higher rates of wages as paid by individual agricultural employers in the districts concerned, or (c) differential rates as paid by the Department of Agriculture to employees on State farms.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pay of Barrack Caretakers.
It is the practice of my Department to pay barrack caretakers, employed on a full time basis, in accordance with the minimum rates laid down from time to time for agricultural workers by the Agricultural Wages Board.
In view of the fact that the system is not in operation in relation to the activities of the Minister for Agriculture who, through his Department, is prepared to give a higher rate, it is natural to expect that the Department of Defence and the Minister for Defence should agree to adopt the same principle in the case of these men.
I understand that the employees to whom the Deputy refers are paid a differential rate because the quality of their work is considered to be somewhat higher than that of agricultural workers generally and that, of course, does not apply in this case.
May I say that there is no doubt whatsoever that in the Department of Agriculture they are paid as agricultural workers an increased rate of pay, whether under the present Minister for Agriculture or his predecessors and, in view of the fact that the Minister for Agriculture agrees to pay a higher rate of wages to the men employed by the Department of Agriculture, the Minister for Defence must be prepared to admit that that system should equally apply to employees and caretakers in the Department of Defence?
That is an argument, not a question.
May I ask the Minister on what grounds caretakers who are doing agricultural work, in a sense, are being refused the same right and rate of pay as State employees in the Department of Agriculture?
They are not doing agricultural work.
In view of the Minister's reply, I ask leave to raise this matter on the Adjournment to-night.
Is the Minister aware that the caretaker in the Waterford Barracks has £4 10s. 0d. a week and a free house and would the Minister consider that that is a fair wage for a man?
That is a separate question.