Deputy MacSharry has been given permission to raise a Private Notice Question with the Minister for Agriculture. Would the Deputy please read the question?
Private Notice Question. - Sligo Veterinary Office Dispute.
asked the Minister for Agriculture the steps he is taking to resolve the dispute at Sligo district veterinary office which is affecting the livelihood of thousands of farmers in Counties Sligo and Leitrim.
Industrial action has been taken at the Department's Sligo office by agricultural officers grades who are members of the Union of Professional and Technical Civil Servants.
The strike action has been taken because two officers in one grade who were engaged on two different sets of livestock schemes were instructed to exchange duties. No physical transfer is involved for the two officers who continue to be headquartered in Sligo, and their salaries and working conditions are not affected.
I deplore the inconvenience which is being caused to herdowners and others in the Sligo/Leitrim area by this unwarranted action on the part of the union. Efforts by my Department to have this strike called off have so far proved unsuccessful.
The union action contravenes formal agreements negotiated under the Scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration for the Civil Service and the two officers are failing to honour conditions which they signed when promoted to their present grade.
Can the Minister give us the reason for the exchange suggested between the two officers?
Senior civil servants in my Department felt it wise to have the two people exchange positions because of certain difficulties which were beginning to surface in the behaviour of one of the officers in question.
I am glad the Minister said that because the union were told that the action was not disciplinary. Is he now suggesting that it is?
I do not think it can be considered disciplinary seeing that neither of the two officers has suffered any reduction in status; they both continue on the same salary scale in the same grade.
Is it the intention of the Department to persist in the transfer of the officer whom it has been suggested is guilty of some irregularities?
I am not saying that there are any irregularities but certainly I have to impose my authority; and if I feel it is in the best interests of the Department and of the working of that section of the Department in Sligo to have these changes made, I shall do so.
Could the Minister give us any time scale as to when the services provided by the district veterinary office in Sligo will be restored in relation to services at marts, meat factories, inspeciton for cattle and sheep headage payments, the export of cattle and so on, all of which has been held up now for two weeks?
I am aware that there is considerable inconvenience caused. Nevertheless, I cannot see my way to change the decision which has been taken. It must be remembered that both these people gave a written undertaking, when appointed to these grades, that they would, if necessary, transfer to a grade of similar status. Now that this has taken place they have failed to honour that agreement.
We want to know what steps the Minister is proposing to take to resolve the situation?
We are negotiating and hopefully we can resolve the problem within a short period.