asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state with regard to the recent stoppage of work on the housing scheme now being carried out by direct labour at Rathdowney, County Laoighis (i) the rate of wages paid to the men employed on the scheme when work commenced in October, 1949; (ii) the date on which the men demanded payment of the recognised district rate; (iii) the date on which the men stopped work; (iv) the date on which the county manager met representatives of the men's union; (v) the date on which it was agreed to pay the district rate; and if he will further state when the county manager was made aware that a building contractor working on an adjoining site had been paying his men at the recognised rate for the district from January, 1950.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rathdowney (County Laoighis) Housing Scheme.
It is assumed that the Deputy's question relates to the unskilled workers on the Rathdowney scheme since it was on their behalf that the claim for increased wages, to which he refers, was made in the first instance. I understand from the local authority that the information is as follows:—
(i) 1/6 per hour for a 48-hour week;
(ii) on the 25th November, 1949, a communication was received by the local authority from the Dublin office of the Federation of Rural Workers requesting a rate of 1/11 per hour for labourers employed on the scheme, which they stated was being paid to similar workers in Portlaoighise and Portarlington. This claim was refused;
(iii) the men stopped work on 28th January, 1950;
(iv) on the 7th February, 1950, representatives of the Federation of Rural Workers were received by the county manager, following which a rate of 1/9 per hour was put forward on 17th February, 1950, on behalf of the men as being the recognised district rate, and
(v) on the 22nd February, 1950, the local authority agreed to pay the rate of 1/9 per hour as from the date of the resumption of work by the men, which took place on the 2nd and 3rd March, 1950. Definite information became available to the local authority on 20th February, 1950, that a local building contractor was paying the rate of 1/9 per hour which the Federation of Rural Workers had put forward as the recognised district rate, but they are unable to say from what date, precisely, he had done so.
Is the Minister aware that a local building contractor building houses on an adjoining site admitted to myself that he was paying the rate of 1/9 from the 1st January? If so, why would not the county manager agree to pay workers on the direct labour scheme as from the same date?
I am not aware of the actual date. From the information I have, I have not been able to place the date. The rate has been admitted but the date has not been placed.
The contractor informed the clerk of works on the scheme what he was paying and the date from which he was paying it.
I am sorry. I have not that evidence before me. I have given the Deputy what I have.