asked the Minister for Agriculture if the Agricultural Wages Board are required by law to fix overtime rates for agricultural workers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Wage Rates.
22.
I am advised that the answer to the Deputy's question is "No." The Board has, however, power to fix overtime rates and has, in fact, regularly done so since 1937.
23.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if the power conferred on the Agricultural Wages Board by Section 17 (1) of the Agricultural Wages Act, 1936, to fix minimum rates of wages for agriultural workers for time-work extends to the fixing of minimum rates applicable to agricultural apprentices defined by the Board as a special class of workers or by reference to employment of a special character.
I am advised that as apprentices are included in the definition of "agricultural worker" in Section 2 (1) of the Agricultural Wages Act, 1936, the Agricultural Wages Board has power to fix minimum rates of wages for time-work by such apprentices.
24.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if an agricultural worker in County Wexford, who enters into a contract with an agricultural employer which provides for agreed piece rates, and who finds that he cannot make the minimum time rate after 51 hours of work, is entitled under the Agricultural Wages Order to £6 3s. 2d., including 3s. 2d. for overtime.
It appears to me that the Deputy's question is largely hypothetical. I am informed that piece rates, where they exist, are, in the experience of the Agricultural Wages Board, invariaby higher than time rates.
If the Deputy will furnish me with full details of any case in which the circumstances are as mentioned in his question, I shall refer the case to the Board for full investigation.
25.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the precise provision of the Agricultural Wages Act, 1936, which requires the Agricultural Wages Board to (a) recognise, (b) take into consideration, or (c) be influenced by, hours of work or conditions of employment between individual employers and workers in agriculture, and the provision of the Act which requires the Board to give effect to conditions of employment or hours of work between individual employers and workers when making a Minimum Rates Order.
I am advised that there is no specific provision in the Agricultural Wages Act, 1936, which requires the Agricultural Wages Board to act in any of the ways referred to in the Deputy's question. The Board, in carrying out its functions of fixing rates of wages under Section 17, must inform itself of the contracts of employment normally made and the conditions prevailing under them in the wages districts or parts of such wages districts.
26.
asked the Minister for Agriculture what effect the Agricultural Wages Board give to the statutory requirement that they shall take into consideration recommendations of the Agricultural Wages Committees.
I am informed that the recommendations made to the Agricultural Wages Board by the Agricultural Wages Area Committees in relation to minimum rates of wages are placed before the Board in accordance with the provisions of Section 17 of the Agricultural Wages Act, 1936. I have no reason to believe that the Board do not take such recommendations into consideration.