asked the Taoiseach the action taken pursuant to the EEC regulation regarding the organisation of a survey on the earnings of permanent workers in agriculture; the district electoral divisions in which the study was undertaken; the number of farms in each district electoral division; and the result of the study.
Written Answers. - Agricultural Workers' Earnings Study.
63.
In the context of EEC proposals for a Community wide statistical inquiry, as set out in Regulation 677/74/EEC of 21st March, 1974, the Central Statistics Office, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, conducted a pilot survey on the earnings of permanent agricultural workers in May 1974. As a survey of this kind had not been undertaken previously in this country it was necessary, against a background of EEC plans for regular similar enquiries, to carry out a smallscale pilot test to assess the likely technical difficulties associated with a fullscale inquiry and to test various methods of data collection. The pilot investigation, which was undertaken in agreement with the EEC Commission, was not designed therefore to produce numerical results. The study extended to 23 district electoral divisions and involved about 300 agricultural holdings.