asked the Minister for Labour if he is aware of the long drawn out strike by Cork County Council engineers; and if he will intervene with a view to bringing it to a conclusion.
5.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Authority Engineers' Strike.
4.
asked the Minister for Labour if, having regard to the fact that moneys allotted for local improvements schemes, Bord Fáilte, Gaeltacht and all agency work will not be expended until representation is given to the union which represents the majority of local authority engineers on the staff panel which deals with the City and County Managers' Association, he will intervene without delay in the dispute.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 5 together.
The difficulties referred to have arisen from a dispute between two trade unions affiliated to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. The congress are at present engaged in discussions with the two unions in an effort to settle the dispute through procedures developed by the congress to deal with situations of this kind. I am satisfied that the right course is to await the outcome of these discussions.
Would the Minister not agree that there is a difference between No. 4 and No. 5 to the extent that Cork County Council engineers have been on strike over a prolonged period?
Mr. O'Leary
The Ceann Comhairle has accepted that there is a similarity between the two questions and that is my position. On the general position of exactly where the Department of Labour figure in this particular dispute, it would be inappropriate for me to intervene in a dispute in which the congress are already actively employed in an attempt to settle it. As the Deputy knows, the kernel of this dispute is a problem between two unions. The congress are actively considering a way out of this impasse.
Would the Minister not agree, without going into the pros and cons of the strike, that this has lasted for a period of 13 weeks and that it is in the interests of the people of Cork and services in Cork generally, that the Department of Labour should intervene at an early stage if there are no satisfactory solutions as a result of the present talks mentioned by the Minister?
It is obviously in the interests of the people of Cork and everywhere else to see that this dispute is brought to an end as quickly as possible. My own attitude in this dispute is designed to ensure that the parties who are in a position to settle it may do so as expeditiously as possible.
Would the Minister not agree that his Department and the Minister himself seem to have been most inactive in this prolonged dispute? Surely if a Minister for Labour has a function it is to intervene in disputes such as this, despite the problems and complications there might be?
I am sure the Deputy would not expect me to agree with that.
Question No. 6.
Would the Minister give an indication of the value of schemes held up as a result of this dispute?
That is a separate question.
It may be taken that it is a serious dispute.
I understand that there is £2½ million worth of schemes held up in Deputy Fitzgerald's area.
We cannot have statements on the matter.
Is the Minister aware that some £98,300 worth of schemes are held up in Galway? If I can have access to those figures surely the Minister can give me the figures for the whole country?