asked the Minister for Finance if he will indicate the groups of public employees for whom he is responsible who qualified for status increases in their salaries; and what other sections, if any, he proposes will benefit under this heading.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Salary Status Increases.
45.
As regards general service higher grades, I would refer the Deputy to my reply to questions by Deputy Kyne on 21st July, 1965. Departmental grades have been treated on similar lines. No further increases are pending.
As regards grades covered by the Civil Service Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme, I would refer the Deputy to a question put down by Deputy Corish for answer to-day which I have asked him to repeat in a week's time. The reply to that question will give the up-to-date position of claims on behalf of such grades. Claims on behalf of these grades are dealt with under the conciliation and arbitration machinery and it is not possible to say, in advance, what the outcome of any claim will be.
Would the Minister say what factors are taken into account in determining whether a group qualifies for a status increase or not? How does this classification come about? Until recently we did not hear this term being used very much in this House but now apparently the Minister's Department have divided groups into ones with status and other without status. I should like to hear the Minister's explanation. Who is responsible for the division and saying that this fellow has a status and that fellow has not?
The Deputy is not asking a question; he is making a speech.
Must you have a high salary? Must you be over £2,000?
The term "status" evolved out of a series of applications for increases in wages by reference to the quality of work performed by the people. I am not responsible for status or allocating remuneration according to status. This is a function of the conciliation and arbitration boards, if matters come that far.
Would it be in order for a group of road-workers or small farmers or forestry workers to make application for a status increase such as that given to others mentioned in the question, higher civil servants? What reply would be given to them?
The Deputy's supplementary is outside the scope of the original question.
No; it is quite a fair question.