asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will state with reference to his reply to a parliamentary question of 19th November, 1970, when it is proposed to introduce legislation to give effect to the report of the inter-departmental committee on existing legislation relating to wages and holidays for agricultural workers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Workers' Legislation.
41.
It is intended to invite all the interests concerned to consultations on the report in the near future. A decision will then be taken on the recommendations in the report.
Would the Minister not agree that it has been dragging for quite some time and that it might be possible to try to bring it to a conclusion?
All interested parties in this matter have been invited to supply their comments. As far as I am aware, some of the farmers' organisations have not supplied their observations yet.
Would the Minister not agree that some of them might not supply their observations in the hope of delaying the matter? In that case will the legislation go on?
We will try to reach it as quickly as possible.
42.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if it is his intention to make provision for safety legislation for agricultural workers on the lines of a reply to a parliamentary question of 15th April, 1970.
The matter of safety legislation for agricultural workers in relation to the use of poisonous substances has been under consideration by my Department in conjunction with the question of control of the use of poisonous substances generally in agriculture. I am not in a position to say at this stage what measures can be taken.
I am sure the Minister will agree that it is extraordinary that legislation has been introduced which precludes any fresh legislation on behalf of people engaged in agriculture.
I think the idea is to separate the two, drug abuse generally and dangerous substances used in agriculture, such as pesticides and insecticides. I do not think they are related subjects.
Surely the Minister is aware that legislation deals with the use of dangerous substances in industry. Why should agriculture not be included or are agriculturists supposed to be second- or third-class citizens? We have too much of this kind of thing.
That is not so at all. Agricultural chemicals are different from industrial chemicals. Broadly speaking, the kind of chemicals we are talking about in agriculture would be mercury-based seed dressings, organic phosphorous-based insecticides, chemicals like DDT, which affect not only the workers who use them but the quality of the produce. It is a very specialised field and it differs from the general protection of workers in industrial employment. I accept Deputy Tully's point completely; we have got to take all the care we can exercise in the use of such very potent and stable organic drugs in agriculture and we must get on with it. I accept that.