asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he is aware that horticultural workers employed in institutions such as hospitals, convents etc., are not covered by the provisions of the Agricultural Wages Acts; and if he will amend these acts to cover such persons.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Horticultural Workers.
26.
Horticultural workers employed solely on amenity gardening, whether by ordinary employers or by institutions such as hospitals or convents, do not come within the scope of the Agricultural Wages Acts. However, where it can be shown that horticulture contributes to the economy of a hospital, convent etc., the workers concerned could come under the legislation. The Agricultural Wages Board is prepared to examine any such cases presented to it.
Would the Minister not agree that if these people became members of a trade union they would have a far better chance of getting an increase in wages than depending on the Agricultural Wages Board minimum rate which is the lowest in the country?
The question relates to people who would normally come within the scope of the Agricultural Wages Act. As I pointed out, amenity workers, people working in flower gardens, for hospitals and that sort of thing, are not classified now as agricultural workers.
Would the Minister, in his spare time, give me a list of hospitals that are getting away with paying less than the agricultural minimum rate, because I do not believe there are any such hospitals?
Neither I nor any other Member of the House would sympathise with the paying of bad wages to anybody, but the point is that it does not fall under the aegis of the Agricultural Wages Board at present.