asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will state in relation to the advisory committee which he stated would be appointed last year to examine and report on legislation affecting wages and conditions of employment of agricultural workers (a) the name and occupation of the chairman and members, (b) the terms of reference, (c) the date of each meeting, (d) the summary of the report and recommendations, (e) the person representing the employers' interest and (f) the person representing the employees' interest.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Workers' Legislation.
25.
As I indicated in the Seanad on 9th July, 1969, the committee in question is for the present an inter-departmental committee and its members are, accordingly, all serving civil servants. The committee comprises representatives of the Departments of Agriculture and Fisheries, Finance, Labour, Lands and Local Government, together with the secretary of the Agricultural Wages Board. The chairman is an officer of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
The terms of reference are:—"To examine the legislation relating to the wages and holidays of agricultural workers and to report what changes, if any, should be made therein in the light of changing circumstances."
Seven meetings of the committee were held in 1969 and a further meet-is being held this week. As I mentioned in the Seanad the question of involving interests outside the Government service will not arise until I have received the report of the inter-departmental committee. The committee are currently in the process of finalising their investigation and expect to submit their report shortly.
Would the Minister consider it reasonable in dealing with a matter of such importance to rural Ireland that in fact only civil servants have been appointed to the committee? Would the Minister be able to say why the normal procedure of appointing people who would represent various interests was not followed in this case?
As the Deputy may recollect my indication of intention to set up such an examination was given off the cuff in the Seanad at that particular time last year with a view to examining what was already in existence by way of legislation and what seemed to be missing. This was for the purpose of checking on what we have and of having it examined with a view to seeing where the gaps were. Having received such a report it would be my intention, if there is to be additional or amended legislation, that interests other than purely departmental ones would be brought in to decide on the proper course to be followed. Since last July there have been seven meetings. Without any reflection on anybody I might say that if I had arranged for anything other than a departmental committee it would hardly have been set up by this time.
If the civil servants had met even for an eighth time for the purpose of examining this they must have known very little about the subject at the beginning. Does the recent document issued by the Minister for Labour in regard to hours of work and conditions of employment, from which agricultural workers are being left out and who are being dealt with as separate people, not prove that the report on this subject should have been before the Minister for Labour before he introduced such a document?
If I had not moved then there would not be a report even in prospect. The complaint that it is not before the Minister for Labour is scarcely one that should be made at all. The fact remains that rapid progress is being made on the examination of this whole matter. It is likely to be shown as having been competently done. When we get the results of this examination, depending on what the report is and what seems to be needed, it will be decided who would be required to be brought in to do a job on it.
Surely the Minister will agree that simply setting up a committee which will continue to meet often—being civil servants they can meet easily—will not solve anything? Would the Minister hazard a guess as to when something concrete will be produced by way of a report from the committee?
I said in the official reply that the committee are currently in the process of finalising their report. I hope to have it in the near future. This is not in accordance with the fear expressed by Deputy Tully that the meetings were going on and on. These people know what they are talking about.
We will know that when we get the report.
I know that at this stage.
The Minister obviously saw the report.
I did not.