asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will give up-to-date particulars of pay, hours of work and paid holidays of agricultural workers in member countries of the EEC in the form of a reply to Question No. 272 of 20th May, 1975.
354.
Written Answers. - EEC Agricultural Workers.
353.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the rates of pay, hours of work and paid holidays of agricultural workers in EEC countries in the form of a reply of 26th November, 1974.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 353 and 354 together. The particulars in respect of Ireland and the United Kingdom are set out in the following table.
RATES of Pay, Hours of Work and Paid Annual Holidays of Agricultural Workers in Ireland and the United Kingdom.
|
Country |
Minimum Conventional Weekly Rates of Pay (a) |
Hours of work per week |
Paid Annual Holidays (excluding Church or Public Holidays) |
|
Ireland |
£30.35—£30.75 (b) |
44—Winter |
Equivalent of three working weeks. |
|
50—Summer |
|||
|
United Kingdom: |
|||
|
(i) England and Wales |
£30.50 |
40 |
10 to 15 working days (c) |
|
(ii) Scotland |
£31.50 |
36¼—Winter |
|
|
41¼—Summer |
10 to 15 working days (c) |
||
|
(iii) Six Counties |
£30.50 |
41 |
10 to 15 working days (c) |
(a) According to a recent report of the British Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries average actual weekly earnings of agricultural workers in England and Wales in the year ended June, 1975 were £38.80 and average weekly hours worked were 46.4.
(b) Range of regional variations.
(c) Depending on length of service.
As regards countries other than Ireland and the United Kingdom no more recent information is available than that given in the reply of 26th November, 1974. However, I am having further inquiries made and if the Deputy would be good enough to repeat the question in a month's time, I would hope to be in a position to supply more up-to-date data.