asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will state the number of Orders made under the Factory and Workshops Act, 1901, authorising the employment of young persons during the night; the number of such Orders now in force and the number of young persons who by virtue of such Orders are employed during the night.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Employment of Juveniles on Night Work.
Since 1922 one Order has been made under the Factory and Workshops Act, 1901, authorising the employment of young persons during the night in the process of sugar cooking in sugar beet factories. This Order is still in force as well as two Orders made prior to 1922, but no young persons appear to be employed at present by virtue of such Orders.
The Orders in question permit the employment of male young persons of 16 years and over in certain processes in which reverberatory or regenerative furnaces are used, in galvanising sheet metal and wire, and in the process of sugar cooking in sugar beet factories.
During the "campaign" period nine apprentices, some of whom were over 18 years of age, were employed in each of the sugar beet factories, six in each factory being on night shifts.