asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will intervene as a matter of urgency in the dispute that has arisen since yesterday at the Employment Exchange in Cork city where staff have ultimately taken action to highlight their accommodation problems and where payment of benefits is being put in jeopardy.
Private Notice Questions. - Cork Labour Exchange Dispute.
I have already taken all steps open to me to end the dispute affecting service in the employment exchange in Cork. All accommodation for my Department, in common with most other Departments, is provided by the Office of Public Works. When the numbers of unemployed persons began to increase substantially in Cork the Department immediately requested the Office of Public Works to provide accommodation for an additional employment exchange to pay the unemployed women in a separate exchange in Cork. My Department was offered accommodation by the Office of Public Works in rooms which were not being used in the Model School in Cork. My Department accepted this accommodation and also approved plans for the fitting out of these rooms for use as an employment exchange for women. However, before the contractors had gone on to the site to carry out the necessary work there was a change of government in March 1982 and the incoming Government, on representations from the parents committee, decided that the accommodation in the Model School should not be used as an employment exchange and that accommodation for an exchange should be obtained elsewhere.
Subsequently my Department located accommodation in a newly renovated building in Washington Street and the Office of Public Works were requested to lease the accommodation for use as an exchange. As the Deputy is aware, I reached agreement in December 1982 as rapidly as possible. Tenders were invited in March 1983 and accepted in April 1983, the contract was placed by the Office of Public Works and the sub-contract was placed for mechanical and electrical works in June 1983. In the meantime my Department received from the Civil and Public Service Staff Association a notice of intent to take industrial action on 7 June by withdrawing labour from the Cork Employment Exchange as from 4 July 1983 if additional staff were not provided in the exchange by that date and if the accommodation in Washington Street was not available for occupation also on that date. The Office of Public Works took whatever steps necessary to have the accommodation ready for occupation within the shortest possible time. The office arranged for the contractors to work whatever overtime was necessary to complete the contract work urgently. It had been scheduled for the third week in September and we brought it forward to the first week in September by additional overtime, week-end working and some holiday working as well. Floor covering and the problem of furniture by the OPW will take a further week and the date of occupation of the new accommodation is therefore firmly fixed for 8 September 1983.
My Department wrote to the CPSSA on 23 June 1983 after I had sought the ratification of the Government and we allocated additional staff to Cork — an allocation of eight staff on 20 June, six additional staff on 7 June and one further officer on 4 July, and we confirmed all these measures to Mr. Billy Lynch of the CPSSA. Notwithstanding these assurances the members of the association went on strike on 4 July and a letter was received from the association that members decided that, unless and until the deadline to move into the accommodation was firmly underwritten and there was no interruption by the OPW or the contractors due to sickness, industrial action or holidays or unless accommodation was provided on a further reserved basis in some other premises in Cork to comply with the date 8 September 1983, then the strike of their members would continue.
The OPW have informed my Department that there is no other accommodation available in Cork between now and 8 September which could be fitted out and ready for occupation by that date. I have written to Mr. Lynch, the general secretary of the association, informing him of this and also informing him that the work in progress in Washington street is definitely on target and we have had confirmation from the contractors again for completion by 1 September 1983. The premises will definitely be ready for occupation by that date. Accordingly, I hope the staff to whom this information has been repeatedly conveyed and the union to which this information has also been repeatedly conveyed in writing and confirmed in every possible way by myself and the secretary of the Department of Social Welfare, who are meeting again at six o'clock this evening in Cork, will resume work, as otherwise 3,000 unemployed persons in Cork will not be paid their unemployment benefit and assistance tomorrow.
First of all, would the Minister identify the date on which his Department discovered the accommodation in Washington Street? Furthermore, were the 15 officers to whom he referred assigned to the same premises? If the advice he is giving and the letters he is writing are not successful by tomorrow morning, what help can he offer to those in receipt of benefit in the Cork area as to how they will be paid? Can he give me an undertaking now that there will be no distruption in payment? Would he not intervene and be seen to be doing something in the interests of the unemployed people of Cork?
My sincere regret is that the former administration, for reasons best known to itself, decided not to go ahead at the time and accept the offer of the Model School premises which would have meant that we would now have in full operation——
Answer the question and do not be bluffing.
This is just for openers.
I suspect the representations made in respect of that premises may not have been too far removed from the Deputy's dear self.
And I am delighted I was successful. Stop your gobbledegook stuff.
Every possible effort is being made. We had an offer of a premises two years ago in Anglesea Street but unfortunately Cork Corporation moved in before the Office of Public Works could get a lease on the premises and they took that premises. Subsequently the Model School became available. Only a year or so ago you had the premises——
A whole year and nothing has happened yet.
Following the intervention of the Deputy and another former Minister of his Government, the Office of Public Works were informed by the Government of the day, namely the Deputy's Cabinet, that they should not build an employment exchange for women in the Model School and then the search started for another premises.
I support that decision entirely but what has happened in the last year?
When I came into office in December I was fully aware of the appallingly bad condition of the employment exchange in Cork. I directed that an immediate lease be signed on the first available premises namely the old Dwyer premises in Washington Street, a magnificient premises which will be outstanding. The Office of Public Works have given enormous co-operation. Furthermore, I allocated, with the approval of the Government, 15 head of staff on transfer from different Departments in Dublin to Cork. They have all been down there for several weeks. The staff in Cork have had 15 additional staff and I hope the staff in Cork are now fully aware of the efforts of this Government, of myself and my colleagues in the Office of Public Works, and that we will have a resumption of work tomorrow morning and that Mr. Billy Lynch, in consultation with his members, will see the wisdom of the assistance we are trying to give, because the position is extremely serious. There will be 3,000 persons turning up for payment tomorrow, on Thursday and on Friday. We pay out some £600,000 in unemployment benefit and assistance. That payment should be made by the staff in Cork and hopefully the matter will be resolved tonight without any further difficulty.
From that long drawn out diatribe did I understand the Minister to guarantee that payment——
He was very nice to the Deputy.
Would you ask the Minister for Finance to maintain order, please? He is always being unruly.
Iris Oifigiúil has deranged him.
He is not making such a great job of his own brief.
Is he looking for a change?
Did I understand the Minister to say he would guarantee that payments will resume in that office as and from tomorrow morning?
I am hopeful that this matter will be resolved without any further intervention on my part. I can assure the Deputy that I have the matter under very close review and I will ensure that payments will be made.
Will the Minister guarantee that if it is not resolved he will take a personal interest in it tonight and tomorrow morning?
And the following week. From now on.
The Leader of the Opposition wants to ask a supplementary question.
I have to ask a question because I am completely bewildered by a letter I got from you. I put down a question to the Taoiseach in connection with a statement he made and you ruled it out of order, Sir.
I have another Private Notice Question.
Can I come back to that then?
Let me just say——
Thank you for permission.