asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that County Managers are interpreting paragraph 4 of the local government circular E.L. 76/50, dated 23rd December, 1950 as a direction not to pay certain classes of supervisory workers more than the maximum differential listed in the circular; that County Managers have consistently refused to entertain proposals for the revision of these differentials, which were fixed nine years ago, on the grounds that Ministerial sanction would be refused until such time as circular E.L. 76/50 is amended or withdrawn; if he will make a statement clarifying the situation concerning the control of the remuneration of supervisory employees, indicating whether the revision of the differential rates is primarily a matter for him or for the local authorities, having regard to the national application of the Ministerial directions now in operation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wages of Local Authority Supervisory Workers.
35.
The variation of the wages of employees of local authorities is a matter for the local authorities concerned in the first instance. Paragraph 4 of the circular letter referred to in the Deputy's question deals with the pay of supervisory road workers; it relieves local authorities of the necessity for seeking my sanction to variations in the wages of those workers provided that such variations do not have the effect of increasing wage rates beyond the limits set out in the circular. The circular does not bind local authorities to pay any particular rates of pay to their employees and I am not aware that it has been so interpreted.