asked the Minister for Lands if he will state separately in respect of Arklow and Aughrim forests (a) the number of forestry workers employed in each month in 1958, (b) the number of forestry workers recently laid off in these forests, (c) why the forestry workers were laid off, and (d) when it is proposed to offer employment to these workers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wicklow Forestry Workers.
45.
The average weekly number of men employed at Arklow Forest in 1958 was 23 and at Aughrim Forest 60. Average monthly employment figures for these forests for 1958 are set out in a tabular statement which I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate with the official report.
There was no recent reduction of staff at Arklow Forest. It seems that the Deputy may have intended to refer to nearby Shelton Forest where 17 men were laid off at the end of last September and I am giving monthly employment figures for that Forest for 1958 in the statement already referred to. The men laid off were extra men recruited in March and April of this year to help deal with a heavy programme of seasonal nursery work requiring attention at the Forest. When this work was completed the staff had to be restored to a normal level.
At Aughrim Forest 18 men were laid off recently on completion of the Summer work programme. This reduction was due to a general contraction in the volume of work available at the Forest and the total exhaustion of the plantable reserve there.
As regards the re-employment of the men laid off, it is possible that some men may be required for nursery work at Shelton Forest later in the Winter season but I am unable to state this with any certainty at this stage. The work reserve position at Aughrim Forest is so difficult that I can hold out no hope of recruitment of more staff there—it is, in fact, going to be difficult to find work to keep the reduced staff of 41 men employed for any considerable time.
Following is the statement referred to above:
AVERAGE monthly number of men employed 1958
|
Forest |
Arklow |
Shelton |
Aughrim |
|
January |
23 |
20 |
61 |
|
February |
23 |
20 |
60 |
|
March |
23 |
20 |
58 |
|
April |
23 |
19 |
57 |
|
May |
23 |
12 |
59 |
|
June |
23 |
13 |
60 |
|
July |
23 |
11 |
60 |
|
August |
25 |
13 |
61 |
|
September |
24 |
12 |
61 |
|
October |
24 |
12 |
58 |
|
November |
24 |
12 |
58 |
|
December |
23 |
12 |
63 |
Is the Minister aware that a very valuable plantation has been left without any fencing, whereas those 16 men could have been very usefully employed in fencing it? Some of them have had 10 years' service. Would the Minister look into the matter?
I can tell the Deputy that it is the policy of the Department to re-employ these men on any work that becomes available.