No such direction was issued——
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Local Authority Wages: Question of Retrospection.
The following Question appeared on the Order Paper in the name of Deputy Desmond:
6. To ask the Minister for Health if any Ministerial directions were issued to county managers by his Department in April, 1958, concerning a limitation on the amount of retrospection which might be applied to local authority rates of wages; and, if so, if he will give a general outline of any such directions.
On a point of order, who is asking the question?
I ask the Question on behalf of Deputy Desmond.
The Opposition watchdog is asleep. No such direction was issued, but in April, 1958, county and city managers were made aware by my Department that, in relation to certain staffs for which I am the appropriate Minister, my approval might be assumed for the grant of cost-of-living bonus increases similar to those which had been adopted for persons in the employment of the State. In general, the date of commencement of such increases was 1st April, 1958, but it was intimated to managers that no objection would be raised to an earlier date where such date was part of a recommendation by the Labour Court, or, in regard to employments for which conditions are related to those prevailing locally, where an earlier date was agreed between other local employers and representatives of workers in corresponding employments in the locality.