asked the Minister for Labour if he has any plans generally to upgrade the status of workers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Workers' Status.
27.
One of my main concerns, as Minister for Labour, is the improvement of the position of working people in this country and this includes constant efforts to upgrade their status. The resources of my Department are being continuously used with this aim in mind.
To this end legislation already passed in this House includes:—
(a) Giving all industrial workers the right to three weeks paid annual leave and an extra public holiday on New Year's Day;
(b) Giving all industrial workers the right to have minimum notice in the case of termination of employment of up to eight weeks depending on their years' service:
(c) Substantially improving the redundancy payments scheme by
(i) extending weekly payments in the case of older workers;
(ii) giving workers the right to 100 per cent of pre-redundancy pay;
(iii) bringing 35,000 more hitherto ineligible non-manual workers into the scheme.
Further proposals to give statutory backing to the concept of the dignity of all who work whatever their ranking in the firm are under consideration. These include proposals for legislation on unfair dismissals to outlaw the unfair dismissal of workers and to provide for compensation where necessary; hours of work legislation to provide for minimum hours of work and to end the exploitation of children; worker participation legislation to give workers a say in the decisions of their firms; and general antidiscrimination legislation, of which that relating to the pay of women is a beginning. I hope to have all this legislation passed by the end of the year.
Enhancing the status of the worker in his workplace will make little difference to the economic position of Irish workers unless they are provided with extra skills. Accordingly, as I have already announced, it is intended to expand our direct training capacity fourfold by 1978. In over 75 per cent of the country at the moment, no place is more than 30 miles from a training centre.
Similarly the National Manpower Service of my Department is continuing to expand in keeping with the demand for its services. Four new offices were opened in the last year at Longford, Tralee, Castlerea and Clonmel and further offices will be opened at Bantry, Nenagh and Tullamore in the near future and one in Carrick-on-Shannon later.
I might mention finally that in discussions in Brussels the interest of Irish working people is brought to bear in formulating social policy in the Community. In adopting the Social Action Programme 1973-76 last year notable advances were made in improving the provisions in the Commission's original draft in regard to worker participation, women, safety, health and welfare of workers and the European Social Fund and at the instance of the Department of Social Welfare in regard to the underprivileged and the handicapped.
I want to thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply and to congratulate him on the material proposed by Fianna Fáil——
Has the Deputy a question?
I noticed in the Minister's speech in Killarney a fortnight ago that he said some workers were being treated as animals. If that is so will he give us any specific instance of it? Will he prosecute the people who are treating workers in such a manner?
That seems to be a separate matter.
It is a separate matter.
Is the Minister sorry for what he said?
The Minister said this publicly.
The Deputy ought to put down a question on that matter.
It is true that personnel policy in certain firms leaves a lot to be desired and too many Irish work people are not accorded the respect that is their due as work people. That is true.
If I put down a question will the Minister name the firms?
This is not permissible. The naming of firms or personalities outside this House is not permissible.
The Minister said in his long reply that there was no part of the country more than 30 miles from a centre for the retraining of workers. Could he tell us what centre there is within 30 miles of the town of Portlaoise for the retraining of workers?
I could not say offhand. The information from my Department is that no place is more than 30 miles from a training centre.