asked the Minister for Labour if he is aware that, under the restrictions imposed on the functions of the Joint Labour Committee for Agricultural Workers, the second phase of the 1978 National Agreement could be due for payment before the first phase has been fully implemented; and if it is his intention to facilitate the expeditious implementation of the National Agreement to workers employed in a prosperous industry, by the immediate promotion of legislation to suspend section 42 (3) of the Industrial Relations Act, 1946, where National Agreements are in operation; or alternatively, if legislation will be promoted to enable the Joint Labour Committee for Agricultural Workers to apply the phases in the National Agreement with retrospective effect.
Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Agricultural Workers' Pay .
: The minimum rates of pay and other conditions of employment of agricultural workers are statutorily regulated by employment regulation orders made by the Labour Court on the basis of proposals submitted to them by the Joint Labour Committee. It is a matter for the committee, who are representative of employer and worker organisations in the agricultural industry, to consider the manner in which the terms of the National Wage Agreement 1978 will be applied to agricultural workers.
I understand that it is open to the committee to include in proposals to the Labour Court provision for the implementation in one employment regulation order of the two phases of the National Wage Agreement, 1978.
: I am afraid the Minister has not got the full facts. Is he not aware that the body charged with the task of fixing the wages cannot meet for six months after the date on which the last wage-fixing agreement was made and that consequently it will be at least 31 July plus a three-week statutory period before, in the normal way, farm workers will receive a weekly increase of £3.50 which, under the National Wage Agreement, they have been entitled to from 1 March? Would the Minister agree either to bring in the necessary legislation or to consider the legislation which the Labour Court have laid down for the purpose of remedying this mistake, a mistake which I admit freely was made when the legislation was going through the House?
: Any problem that concerns my Department during my term in office and which affects workers will be considered seriously and sympathetically by me. The Joint Labour committee have the opportunity of making certain arrangements. I am glad that the Deputy referred to the 1976 Act. Obviously, that was the opportunity to introduce the legislation the Deputy is seeking. However, hopefully with an early report on the structure of the Labour Court and its ancillary services, including the joint labour committees, it would be premature of me to bring in one narrow piece of legislation in the form sought by the Deputy.
: I admit that the proper time to have introduced this legislation was when we were putting through the 1976 Act but the advice we got from the Department then was that this legislation was not necessary. We considered it to be necessary and we were proved right and therefore the recommendation of the Department was incorrect. In these circumstances would the Minister be prepared to go to his officials and ascertain whether they are prepared to cooperate in order to remedy something that was caused mainly by incorrect advice on their part? At the time I am sure they considered their advice to be correct but the effect of not taking action now to deal with the situation, be it by way of a narrow piece of legislation or anything else, is that farm workers—the lowest paid workers in the country—will continue to be left short to the extent of £3.50 per week from 1 March until mid-September at the earliest?
: The Deputy will be aware that the Minister and the Government of the day are responsible for legislation. I appreciate the problem being raised by the Deputy and I am aware of it. I have a certain amount of sympathy for the situation but it would be undesirable to bring in narrow legislation within months of possibly more general legislation as a result of a review of the structures that we have at present.
: The Minister will agree that sympathy is a very rare thing but one cannot buy bread with it. Therefore, his sympathy is not worth anything to the farm workers concerned. I am not making this a political issue but I am putting it to the Minister that he is now getting an opportunity to remedy the situation. I would ask him to go back to his Department and I am sure the honest men there will admit a mistake has been made and they will try to remedy it as quickly as possible.
: If a mistake has been made the Minister for the day must bear the responsibility.
: That is very little use to the farm workers.