asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he has received any representations from or on behalf of railway workers or former railway workers who are interested in the following matters: (a) compensation for railwaymen who lost employment owing to refusal to handle munitions during the period of conflict with the British armed forces prior to the Treaty of 1921; (b) a superannuation scheme for the employees of the Great Southern Railways Company; and (c) an amendment of the Railways Act, 1924 (and later amending legislation) so as to give compensation to certain employees who lost their positions owing to amalgamation, but have not been able to substantiate their claims before the railway arbitrator; and, further, whether he has received or is prepared to receive and to consider proposals by or on behalf of such present or former employees with a view to introducing legislation to meet the problems involved in such proposals.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Railway Workers' Claims.
With regard to the first part of the question I would refer the Deputy to my reply to a question addressed to me by Deputies Keyes and Corish on 27th November, 1935.
With regard to (b) the position is still as indicated in my statement of 15th December, 1937, in reply to a question by Deputy Bennett.
As regards (c) I am unable to trace the receipt in my Department of any representations or case for amending legislation, and I do not anticipate that any proposals in this regard justifying legislation can now be made.