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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 12 Dec 1968

Vol. 237 No. 15

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Farm Caretakers.

99.

asked the Minister for Lands if his Department employ on farms at very low rates of wages caretakers who do not have a social welfare card stamped and who consequently suffer loss of social welfare rights; and, if so, if he will take steps to rectify this situation.

Caretakers of lands and buildings on hands of the Land Commission are generally employed on a purely part-time basis and as such are not normally insurable under the Social Welfare Acts save for occupational injuries. Of 249 caretakers employed by the Land Commission at present only one, whose employment is considered to be his principal means of support, is insurable for full benefits under the Acts.

Is the Minister aware that it is the practice of his Department to employ caretakers and to ask them to do a couple of hours in the morning and a couple of hours in the evening for seven days of the week and that the rate of payment is as low as £2 for the week and, if they refuse this, they can be disqualified from drawing social welfare benefit and, if they accept, they lose the benefit of the Social Welfare Acts? There is at least one case which I will bring to the notice of the Minister of a man who, because of the fact that after 40 years stamping cards he accepted such a job, is now unable to draw social welfare benefit although he has been ill for the last three months.

My information is that where the amount payable is very small the amount of work involved is very little, purely supervisory. Perhaps the Deputy will give me the facts of the case?

The Minister appreciates that a man who is required to do two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening cannot possibly find employment elsewhere. However, I will let the Minister have the information and he can make an ex gratia payment to him.

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