asked the Minister for Local Government what are the difficulties which prevent county council roadworkers from being paid weekly wages; and whether he will cause a special inquiry to be made into the matter with a view to seeing that arrangements will be made to have these wages paid weekly.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Weekly Payments of Roadworkers' Wages.
46.
I understand that the main difficulties in paying wages weekly are the extra administrative costs involved and the fact that additional staff would be required. As regards the second part of the question, I have no functions in the matter.
Would the Minister, for my information, say whether a decision to pay wages either weekly or fortnightly is a matter for the manager or for the elected representatives?
Off-hand, I could not quite say that. In the normal relationships as I know them between council and manager, if the elected body were to request the manager, if it is strictly his function, provided the additional staff or money required for that staff was available, I do not think any manager, in the normal way, would stand out against the desire of the elected body.