asked the Minister for Labour the steps taken by his Department to promote legislation to implement ILO Conventions Nos. 99 of 1951, 101 of 1952, 119 of 1963 and 129 of 1969; and when the necessary legislative proposals will be introduced.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - ILO Conventions.
26.
The conventions mentioned by the Deputy relate to Minimum Wage-Fixing Machinery in Agriculture (Convention No. 99), Holidays with Pay in Agriculture (Convention No. 101), Guarding of Machinery (Convention No. 119), and Labour Inspection in Agriculture (Convention No. 129).
As regards Convention (No. 99) and Convention (No. 101) existing legislation is generally in conformity with the provisions of these conventions, but there are some points of difference which prevent their formal retification. The situation is being reviewed.
In the case of Convention (No. 129) the position is that, the inspection system operating under the Agricultural Wages Acts and the Agricultural Workers (Holidays) Acts is concerned with enforcement of the statutory minimum rates of pay, overtime and holidays. The convention in question is a most detailed one and its requirements are couched in rigid terms. I have doubts whether the changes which would have to be made in our law to enable the convention to be ratified would be acceptable here but the matter is being reviewed.
The convention on the Guarding of Machinery (No. 119) applies to all sectors of the economy. Again, this is a most detailed convention which would call for exceptional measures of investigation and supervision over all sectors using both power-driven and manually operated machinery, new and second-hand. The sale, hire, transfer and exhibition of machinery are also involved. I am reviewing the situation in this case also, but I have no proposals at present for amendments to the law relating to the matters covered by the convention.
Surely the Minister must admit that the conventions referred to are accepted as standard in the EEC countries? While we seem to be terribly anxious to adopt every EEC provision, which has not been investigated too deeply and to pass it through this House while, as I pointed out the other day, it is in French, and has not been translated into English, here are conventions which have been in operation for years and the Minister is now telling us that because there is some difficulty about them, the Minister does not see why they should be dealt with immediately. Could the Minister say if he has any proposals at all with reference to these conventions?
I have said that in my reply. These conventions, in some cases, are the concern of more Departments than one. We have legislation, which may not be adequate. Contrary to what the Deputy said, we have not subscribed to any of the conventions or adopted any conventions unless we had them properly covered by legislation here. Perhaps we could adopt some of these if we were prepared to take a not serious view of them.
Question No. 27.
Allow me——
There are quite a number of questions.
I am quite sure we will not finish all of them today.
We shall not finish many at this rate.
I am entitled to a supplementary on this.
With your permission, I should like to ask the Minister when the necessary legislative proposals will be introduced. That is the question. Perhaps the Minister will answer it. If he does not intend to change, why cannot he say so? Then we will have to do something else about it. He cannot get out of it by saying "There are other people along with you involved."
He does not know the date of the next election.
The Deputy would love to know. There are very few members of the ILO who take a more serious view of the conventions adopted. These are being reviewed by us at the present time and when we think that we can fully implement them, we shall.
You must implement them eventually.
But not before we are sure.
Not before 1st January, 1973. After that, you are in trouble.
Do not worry.