asked the Taoiseach why, in view of the fact that by the terms of their contracts persons who collect agricultural statistics are entitled to a payment five days after returning the book, certain persons have not received payment up to five weeks after returning the book.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Agricultural Statistics Collectors.
13.
No actual time interval for payment is specified in the conditions of service relating to the work in question which is undertaken for the Central Statistics Office. Payment is made in two instalments and the initial payment in respect of each book is issued as soon as possible after the completed book is received in that office. In some instances, however, there is a delay because related documents, particularly those concerning social welfare insurance liability, have not been submitted to the CSO and until they are received it is not possible to ascertain the correct amount payable. Apart from a few instances, where the work was not carried out satisfactorily, these are the only cases in which initial payments for the December 1973 livestock enumeration have been delayed.
I understand that when those people sign for the book it is written on the signed paper that they will be paid a portion of this money within five days.
The part of the regulations relating to this enumeration in which the Deputy is interested is as follows:
An initial payment equal to the total sum payable less £10 is payable on receipt of the completed enumeration book.
The enumeration book, as I understand it, is not regarded as complete until the information I mentioned in the main answer has been received. It may be that the cases which the Deputy has in mind fall under that heading, and if the Deputy lets me know who the people involved are I will try and discover what the reason is in their cases.