asked the Minister for Local Government what is the approximate labour content of expenditure by local authorities on major road improvement schemes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Major Road Improvement Schemes.
19.
No statistics are available in my Department to show separately the labour content of major road improvement works. The percentage of total expenditure by county councils on road works represented by the amount paid in wages to road workers in 1957/58, 1958/59 and 1959/60 is estimated at 46.5 per cent. on average. The figures do not include the labour content of materials supplied or of works done by contract. It was estimated in 1955 that about 70 per cent. of the final cost of road works was referable to wages and salaries disbursed in this country. The wages content of any road work will vary according to the type of work involved and the location of the work. Observation has shown that in general road improvement works involving widening or realignment such as major road improvement schemes have a higher labour content than works carried out on existing surfaces.