asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the total number of NTAs employed by his Department; and if he is satisfied that these employees are getting a fair deal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - P & T Employees.
32.
I assume the question relates to night and Sunday telephone attendants—there is no grade with the abbreviated title of "NTA".
There are 498 night and Sunday telephone attendants employed in my Department. Their pay rates and general conditions are determined under the scheme of conciliation and arbitration for the civil service and if members of the grade are dissatisfied about pay rates—or about other conditions of employment—it is open to them to have claims pursued by their union through the scheme or, where appropriate, directly with the Department.
Is the Minister aware that these NTAs are in all cases female and is he further aware that they are not given the same status or conditions as male employees who do identical work? Will he have this matter examined or, if he has examined it, is he satisfied that the arguments are well founded? I am completely satisfied that these employees are discriminated against and this has been going on for years; it is not just in the Minister's time. The position should be reviewed and I ask the Minister to look into it and give these people a fair deal.
There is a question of general policy and also a question of specific local policy. The Deputy may be concerned with the situation at Letterkenny and I think he should know that a claim from the union concerned is being considered at present.
May I take it from the Minister's reply that all NTAs are not treated equally in the different exchanges in the different areas?
It is a fact that particular problems occassionally arise at particular exchanges and these, of course, have to be dealt with in relation to the particularity, whatever it may be.
Since it would appear that the Letterkenny exchange is the one which is causing the problem would the Minister ensure that the NTAs employed in the Letterkenny exchange are treated on the same basis as other NTAs throughout the country and that overall such employees are treated equally, paid equally and given equal conditions for equal work which they are not given at the moment?
As I explained to the Deputy a union claim is being considered at present in the normal way and it is not for me to prejudge its outcome.
Question No. 33.
Could I ask the Minister——
Sorry, Deputy Blaney, we must get off this question.
Surely the Minister cannot hide behind a claim, of which we do not have the details, which appears to refer to some NTAs in Letterkenny whereas this was a general question and he has made it specific? Surely he cannot hide behind this claim and say that while it is there we cannot prejudge anything? The prejudgment is that these people are getting a raw deal.
As I indicated in my original reply, pay rates and general conditions are determined under the scheme of conciliation and arbitration for the civil service. That is not something for a Minister to hide behind. It is something for him to abide by and I abide by it.
These people are not being fairly dealt with.
The Deputy may not make a speech on this matter.