asked the Minister for Lands why 14 men, most of whom had over six years' service and are married with dependents, were recently discharged from the State forestry station at Glen of Imaal, County Wicklow; and whether, as no other employment is available in the district, he will consider offering alternative employment to them.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wicklow Forestry Stations: Discharged Workers.
Due to a reduction in the volume of work available 14 men had to be laid off at Glen Imaal forest at the end of last March upon completion of the winter work programme. The number at present employed at the forest is sufficient to carry out the work programme for the current year and I regret that I am not in a position to promise that there will be any increase in the overall level of employment provided at the centre although it is expected that necessary staff adjustments at the various properties will make it possible to provide seasonal work for some of the men recently displaced.
I am satisfied that in the selection of men to be laid off full consideration was given to all relevant factors such as length of service, family and financial circumstances and work output.
Is the Minister aware that some of these men had over eight years' continuous service and that some of them had given service in the National Army and that yet they were the first to be dropped after eight years?
The difficulty is to secure a sufficient reserve of land for planting in a particular area to keep men constantly employed. As the Deputy may not know, there are between 4,500 and 5,000 men employed in forestry as a whole. That comprises, and has comprised, for some years as many as 8,000 different individuals, showing the seasonality of the work. Every effort is being made by the Department to try——
I am aware of that and we are very proud of the forestry we have in Wicklow but I am asking the Minister would he inquire why men who had given satisfactory service over the past eight years and who had been in the Army were the first to be dismissed? There must be some reason and I am afraid it may be the task work that is creating redundancy. If so, I would ask the Minister to review the position.
asked the Minister for Lands if he is aware that a number of men with long service and with dependents have been discharged from the State forestry station at Enniskerry, County Wicklow; and whether he will consider offering alternative employment to them.
There was a reduction in staff at Enniskerry forest at the end of March when the winter programme was completed. The reduction was due to the exhaustion of the reserve of land available for planting at the centre and it was unavoidable. The volume of maintenance and road-work requiring attention in the current season is only sufficient to permit of the continued employment of the present staff and I regret that I am unable to hold out any hope of additional employment being provided at the forest unless and until more land becomes available for planting there.
Would the Minister not consider that the last men in should be the first to be discharged? One of these men was in the National Army since 1940 and has given service in the F.C.A. in Carlow and yet was the first to be dismissed at Enniskerry.
The length of service is taken into account.
I am asking the Minister to instruct the overseers that the men last in should be the first out especially where the other men concerned have been in the National Army and have given good service. These men should get some consideration and should not be among the first to be dismissed.