asked the Minister for Agriculture why works foremen seconded to his Department in connection with the bovine tuberculosis scheme were not given the last increase given to civil servants in view of the fact that they are working side by side with and doing the same work as Agricultural Officers Grade 6 who received this increase.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Seconded Works Foremen on Bovine Tuberculosis Scheme.
10.
The works foremen referred to were not seconded to my Department in connection with the bovine tuberculosis eradication scheme but were formerly employed by the Department on a temporary basis under Section B of the Land Project. As an alternative to terminating their employment, when Section B was discontinued at the end of 1958, the works foremen were assigned to temporary duties under the bovine tuberculosis eradication scheme, blocking posts appropriate to agricultural officers, Grade 8. The rate of pay of the works foremen is higher than that of temporary Grade 8 officers engaged on similar duties. A small number of agricultural officers Grade 6, recruited by means of a competition conducted by the Civil Service Commission, who have been assigned temporarily to urgent duties under the bovine tuberculosis eradication scheme receive the remuneration appropriate to their grade.
Is it not a fact that some of these foremen are doing the same work as agricultural officers, Grade 6, and that we have an anachronistic situation obtaining where two men are doing identical work side by side, one enjoying a substantially higher rate of remuneration than the other?
I have explained the position in my reply. There were only a very small number of Grade 6 officers employed in a temporary capacity to meet the urgent needs of the bovine tuberculosis eradication scheme for a short period. These Grade 6 officers were recruited, as stated, through a competition conducted by the Civil Service Commission for land reclamation work. The works foremen to whom the Deputy refers in his Supplementary were recruited on a temporary basis, even when employed on the Land Project, and rather than let them go, as they would have had to do, we found work for them on the bovine tuberculosis eradication scheme on a temporary basis. In the main, they are working along with Grade 8 officers whose pay in fact is less than that being given to these works foremen.
But would it not be reasonable to suggest—we all know the meaning of the word "temporary" in the Civil Service and that there are men working for 40 years who are temporary civil servants—that where foremen are transferred from the now extinguished Part B of the Land Project and find themselves doing identical work with Grade 6 agricultural officers, their rates of remuneration should be equated, at least, for the temporary period for which they are doing the identical work?
I am not prepared to concede that in fact they are doing identical work——
That is the heart of the matter.
——but even if they were, you might as well, and with much more force, ask me as Minister why the Grade 8 officers were not receiving the same pay as Grade 6 officers.
Are they doing identical work?
Of course they are, on this scheme.
Question No. 11.
Is it not an odd arrangement to have Grade 6 and Grade 8 agricultural officers and foremen all doing the same work and not receiving the same remuneration?
It was always the case.
I never heard of it.