asked the Minister for Local Government whether he has received from the county manager, Waterford, a proposal to increase the weekly wage of road workers by 2/-per week; and, if so, whether he proposes to sanction this proposal which was unanimously recommended by the Waterford County Council members and for which provision has been made in this year's estimates.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Road Workers' Wages.
This proposal has been received and I hope to convey a decision on it to the county council soon.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state what is the cause of the delay in sanctioning the request of the Kildare County Council for authority to increase thewages of road workers employed by the county council.
The proposal has been under consideration in conjunction with other similar proposals.
That is the same answer I received when this matter was first raised. May I now ask when the Minister proposes to authorise the increases for which the Kildare County Council has made provision in this year's estimate? What is the reason for preventing the council from paying the rates of wages which they have agreed to pay, if there is any pretence to local government?
I have told the Deputy that I am not yet in a position to convey my decision in this matter of the wages paid in County Kildare which is bound up with a number of similar proposals in other parts of the country. As soon as I have time to examine all these proposals, I shall convey my decision to the councils concerned.
I can quite understand that the Minister wants to relate the pattern in Kildare to the proposals received from elsewhere, but these proposals have been submitted to him for some time and the persons concerned are in receipt of low rates of wages. The Minister knows that they are unable to bear the burden of the present cost of living on these low rates of wages. Would he, therefore, expedite consideration of this matter, so that these lowly-paid workers may be paid the increases granted to them by the county council?
I do not think it fair that the Deputy should press a worn-out, lazy, tired Minister, as I have been described by him, to overreach himself in this matter.
I do not know whether that description calls for any amendment at this stage but this proposal has been before the Department for a couple of months and the Minister knows that the Kildare County Council has made provision for the increases in their estimates. Why he cannot give a decision on a proposal which hasbeen in his Department for such a considerable time and fit in that decision later with his decision on whatever other proposals are before the Department, I do not know.
All these matters are being considered. I think they are worthy of consideration and that it is better to see the whole pattern before I come to a decision. That is what I am proposing to do and I hope to do that without inflicting any undue hardship on those concerned or causing any undue delay.
Does that mean that we must wait until the last county council has submitted its proposals?
It means that I must have all relevant matters before me and be satisfied before I make a decision.