asked the Minister for Health if he will sanction the recommendation of the Waterford Health Authority and the Waterford County Manager to grant the new salary scale to female as well as to male clerical officers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers - Salary Scale of Waterford Female Clerical Officers.
5.
The remuneration of clerical officers employed in the local service has recently been the subject of arbitration proceedings. The arbitrator's findings were for the introduction of revised scales of pay differentiated on a sex basis. The only formal proposal from the Waterford Health Authority in relation to this matter is a proposal received a week ago for the application to clerical officers employed by the authority of the revised scales recommended by the arbitrator. This proposal is being considered.
I should mention that the proposal was accompanied by an intimation that the health authority had, by resolution, provided the necessary money and adopted the revised male scale for female officers as well. In that connection, I would refer the Deputy to the appropriate portion of my reply to a question by Deputy Clinton on 13th November last (Column 1388, Volume 205).
Is it a fact that the Waterford Health Authority has asked the Minister to sanction the recommendation?
I have just said that.
Is the Minister going to sanction it?
I have referred the Deputy to the reply given to Deputy Clinton on 13th November last.
I do not think that is fair. Will the Minister tell me what was the reply?
The reply was:
with regard to clerical officers, the position is that a uniform salary scale applies on a national basis to such officers employed in the local service. My functions extend only to the minority who are employed in the unified health authorities and in mental hospitals. I do not consider that it would be appropriate for me to take unilateral action on an isolated proposal which would have the effect of upsetting the salary scale which applies on a national basis to a large body of staff in respect of the majority of whom I am not the appropriate Minister.
Would the Minister indicate if the same conditions apply to female as well as male employees?
The Deputy should study my reply.
The Minister has not replied.