asked the Minister for Local Government if, in reference to a resolution passed unanimously at arecent meeting of the Laoighis county council making financial provision for an increase of 7/6 per week in the rates of wages paid to road workers, he will state (1) the date on which this resolution was passed; (2) the date on which the resolution was submitted for his approval, and (3) the recommendations submitted by the county manager; further, if he will state whether the county manager has submitted any proposal for increased rates of wages for Offaly road workers and indicate what action he has taken, or proposes taking, in regard to these matters.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Offaly Road Workers' Wages.
Such a resolution was passed by the county council on 26th October and submitted to my Department on the 11th November. The manager recommended that an increase of 3/- per week be granted as from 2nd November and I am sanctioning the proposal.
No proposals have been submitted in respect of road workers in Offaly.
Is the Minister aware that the financial resolution passed by the council was subsequently drastically altered by direction of the county manager and circulated with the minutes of the meeting of the 26th October? Will he state if he has received the minutes and if he approves of the action of the county manager in misrepresenting the expressed wishes of the council in the manner indicated?
The Minister is aware that the council set about discharging its legal functions in a legal and orderly way.
Is the Minister aware that the county manager deliberately gave a direction to a subordinate officer to alter in a material way a resolution passed unanimously by the council and would he say if he approves of the action of the county manager in this matter?
I do not understand, nor is it any part of my business to understand, what takes place between the manager and those officials responsible to him. I am responsible only for thefirm recommendation of the local body in regard to a matter of this kind. That firm recommendation was made to me on the date given in my reply to the Deputy and I am indicating that I am sanctioning it.
Which of the two resolutions indicated by me and referred to by the Minister was received by the Minister—the one unanimously passed by the county council or the one altered by the county manager?
I am not dealing with the contents or substance of resolutions. I am dealing with a recommendation of a local body in regard to payments of wages. A recommendation was made to me by the local authority in question and that recommendation has been approved by me.
I wish to give notice that I will raise this very serious matter on the Adjournment. Deputies opposite may laugh. This is dictatorship or it is not.