Vol. 207 No. 2
asked the Minister for Local Government if, in the light of the recent arbitration award made in relation to the salary scale for clerical officers in the local government service, it is intended to remove from female clerical officers the parity of remuneration which they got on appointment; and, if this is his intention, whether he considers it proper that such a change should be effected in the status of such female clerical officers.
50.
asked the Minister for Local Government whether it has been the practice in the clerical grades of local authority administrations to pay equal rates to men and women employees; whether there has been any recent departure from this practice; if so, if he will state in what areas; whether there are local authorities which continue to pay the most recent increase to men and women equally; and whether he approves of the general principle of equal pay for men and women in these circumstances.
I propose with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 49 and 50 together.
The salary scale applicable to local authority clerical officers is common to both men and women. There has been no alteration to date in that position. The initiative in taking any action to revise that salary scale rests with the local authorities. Within the past fortnight, a number of local authorities have submitted proposals for increased remuneration for clerical officers. Those proposals involve the application of the separate salary scales for men and women which were recommended by the Chairman of the Arbitration Board and accepted by the staff representatives. These proposals are under consideration and I am not in a position at this stage to say what decision I will take on them.
In Question No. 50 the Minister was asked whether he approved of the general principle of equal pay for men and women in those circumstances. Has the Minister any comment to make?
I am not in a position to make an official comment on or answer to that part of the Deputy's question. I do not propose to make a personal observation on it.
Where a local authority have decided and made the money available to pay the increase to both the male and female clerical officers, and where that recommendation has been sent to his Department by the County Manager with the information that the money is available and that the local authority are unanimously willing that this be done, will the Minister not, in that situation, sanction the application by the local authority?
Again that is a matter which I can only answer when such a case arises and when I have had time to consider it. To date, I have not had such a case before me and if I had, I would not have considered it to the extent of being able to say yes or no.
