asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs why British telephone contractors have been engaged by his Department to operate here; if he will state the nature of the work being done by them; whether non-Irish personnel are employed by them on such work; if so, how their rates of pay compare with Irish operatives directly engaged by his Department; the duration of any contracts made with such contractors; and the mode and amount of payment.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - British Telephone Contractors.
18.
British contractors as well as contractors of other nationalities are employed from time to time to carry out works supplementing those being done by the Department's own staff and by Irish contractors. This has been the practice for very many years and ensures that the maximum capital construction programme will be advanced as rapidly as possible. The work contracted for performance by British firms here at present covers the provision and installation of underground cables and of equipment in telephone exchanges.
Some non-Irish personnel are engaged on those works as well as Irishmen. I am unable to say how their rates of pay compare with staff employed directly by my Department but, of course, all contractors are bound to observe the fair wages clause written into Government contracts; the contracts range in duration from about 3 months to 27 months and payment is made in accordance with normal practice for stores supplied or work done. The amount payable varies from contract to contract and it would be contrary to practice to disclose the value of individual contracts.
Would the Minister say why his Department has not expanded its permanent staff to avoid the apparently increasing necessity of resorting to foreign contractors to do work which Irishmen are well capable of performing?
The trained personnel capable of doing this work has expanded very considerably in the past few years, as was pointed out by my predecessor on the debate on his Estimate here a few weeks ago. While there is some trained personnel quite capable of doing much of this highly technical work, it would mean taking them off other jobs to put them on this particular work, thereby upsetting the programme which we are endeavouring to rush through and which it is so essential to rush through.
"Rush through"?
Why did you not plan ahead?
We have planned.
Why do you not carry out the plans?