Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 21 Feb 1963

Vol. 200 No. 2

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Increased Wages Claims.

8.

Dr. Browne

andMr. McQuillan asked the Minister for Finance what are the groups of workers in State, semi-State or local authority employment for whom Government sanction is needed to secure wage or salary increases and in respect of whom negotiations for such increases are now in progress or pending.

9.

Mr. Corish

asked the Minister for Finance the number of wage claims at present awaiting sanction by his Department, together with details of such claims.

Minister for Finance (Dr. Ryan)

I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 8 and 9 together and, as the reply contains information in the form of a tabular statement, to have it circulated with the Official Report.

Following is the statement:—

PARTICULARS OF OUTSTANDING PAY CLAIMS

1. STATE EMPLOYMENT
(a) General Service:
Increased pay for Clerical Officers.
Increased Children's Allowances.
Increased allowances for Private Secretaries to Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries.
(b) Departmental:
Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas	Allowance for certain Clerk Typists
Office of the Revenue Commissioners	Increased pay for Officers of Customs and Excise.
do.	Increased pay for Departmental Clerk Typists, Office of the Chief Inspector of Taxes.
Office of Public Works	Increased pay for workers on Coonagh Drainage Scheme.
do.	Increased pay for Mechanical Foremen Drainage Schemes.
do.	Increased pay for Gauge-Readers Drainage Schemes.
do.	Increased pay for Dredger-Masters.
do.	Increased pay for Furniture Craftsmen.
do.	Differential for Turners.
do.	Increased pay for Collector Shannon Navigation.
do.	Differentials Rosslare Coast Erosion Scheme.
do.	Increased pay for Harbour Master Dún Laoghaire.
do.	Increased pay for Propagator St. Stephen's Green.
do.	Increased pay for Trainee Drivers, Broadmeadow Drainage Scheme.
do.	Increased pay for Material Controller, Central Engineering Workshop.
do.	Increased allowance for Sunday work for Guage-Reader.
do.	Dirty money for Labourer Central Heating Station.
Special Employment Schemes Office	Increased Differential for Gangers.
State Laboratory	Increased pay for Storekeeper.
	Increased pay for Senior Chemists.
	Allowance for Attendant assisting Storekeeper.
Department of Justice	Increased pay for District Court Clerks.
	Allowance for higher duties for Clerical Officers in Circuit Court Offices.
	Allowance for higher duties to certain District Court Clerks.
	Increased allowance for Messenger acting as Boilerman fs in the Public Record Office.
Department of Education	Increased pay for Assistants, National Library.
Department of Lands (Land Commission)	Increased Differential for Gangers.
Department of Lands (Fisheries Division)	Increased pay for Engineer.
Department of Lands (Forestry Division)	Increased differential for Sawmill Workers.
do.	Increased differentials for Machine Operators.
Department of Agriculture	Increased pay for Junior Marketing Inspector (Woman).
do.	Increased pay for Agricultural Officers, Grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8.
do.	Increased pay for Junior Marketing Inspector (Men).
do.	Increased pay for Poultry Overseer.
do.	Increased pay for Marketing Officer (Agriculture).
do.	Increased pay for Assistants, Seed Testing Station.
do.	Increased pay for Ship Inspectors.
do.	Increased pay for Foremen, Botanic Gardens.
do.	Increased pay for Superintendent Instructors in Poultry Keeping.
do.	Increased pay for Farm Foremen and Granary Foreman.
do.	Increased pay for Outdoor Maid, Botanic Gardens.
do.	Increased pay for Handyman, Backweston Farm.
do.	Allowance for Attendant/Caretaker, Veterinary Research Laboratory.
do.	Allowance for Groom, Veterinary Field Station, Chantilly.
do.	Allowance for Messenger, Veterinary College.
do.	Allowance for Gardener, Ballyhaise Agricultural School.
do.	Allowance for Carters and Labourers, Botanic Gardens.
Department of Transport and Power	Increased pay for Aviation Radio Grades.
do.	Increased pay for Air Traffic Control Assistants.
do.	Increased pay for Technical Officers, Radio Service.
do.	Increased pay for Aeronautical and Radio Staff on roster duties.
Department of Posts and Telegraphs	Increased compensation for night work by various Post Office Grades.
do.	Increased Travelling Post Office duty allowance.
do.	Increased pay for Postmasters, Classes III to VI.
do.	Increased pay for Assistant Inspector of Postmen Class III Office.
do.	Increased pay for Female Workers Stores Branch.
do.	Increased chargeship allowance, Female Workers, Stores Branch.
Department of Defence	Increased pay for Assistant Furniture Clerk.
do.	Increased pay for Temporary Typing Staff with the Defence Forces.
do.	Increased pay for Barrack Foremen of Works.
do.	Differential for Electricians on maintenance work.
do.	Increased pay for part-time Organists.
do.	Increased pay for two Medical Specialists.
do.	Increased pay for Stores Supervisors, Barrack-Foremen and Foremen.
do.	Increased pay for Sewage Farm Supervisor, Curragh.
do.	Increased pay for Drainsman, Curragh.
Department of Social Welfare	Increased pay for part-time unestablished Local Agents.
(c) Garda Síochána:
Increased pay for Chief Superintendents and Superintendents.
Increased pay for Inspectors, Station Sergeants and Sergeants.
Increased pay for Gardaí.
2. TEACHERS
National Schools	Increased pay for National Teachers.
Vocational Schools	Allowance for Higher Diploma in Education (Pass).
do.	Special allowance for teachers above Class III.
do.	Increased Marriage Allowance.
do.	Increased salaries for pre-1952 Teachers.
do.	Allowance for Itinerant Domestic Science Teachers.
do.	Marriage Allowance for pre-1952 Teachers.
do.	Allowance for holders of Diploma in Commercial Education.
do.	Increased pay for Principal School of Music, Cork.
do.	Increased pay for Principal and Vice-Principal, School of Music, Dublin.
do.	Grant of Married Men's scale to Widows.
Secondary Schools	Extension of Children's Allowances.
Teachers, Training Colleges	Increased pay for Professors.
3. SEMI-STATE EMPLOYMENT
Dublin District Milk Board	Increased pay for Inseminators and Progeny Testing Officers.
4. LOCAL AUTHORITY EMPLOYMENT
General	Increased pay for Assistance Officers.
do.	Increased pay for County Surgeons, County Physicians, District Medical Officers, Assistant City and County Medical Officers of Health, Dental Officers of Health Authorities.
Clare Co. Council	Increases for Road Workers.
Dublin Co. Council	do.
Galway Corporation	Increases for Rent Collectors.
Wicklow Co. Council	Increases for Rent Collectors.
Cork Co. Council	Increased pay for Conveyancing Clerks.

NOTES

1. The reply includes particulars as far as they are available to Departments where the sanction of the Government or a Minister is required for pay increases. None of the claims listed has reached the stage of decision by the Minister for Finance.

2. Pay claims only are included. Claims for "fringe" benefits have been omitted.

Mr. Norton

Arising out of the Minister's reply and his statement in the House this morning indicating the manner in which wage claims now sub judice may be dealt with under the wage pause White Paper, would he say whether the dispute, for example, which is in existence between the Radio Éireann Television Authority and the respective employees in these instances is one of the disputes which should be regarded as solvable by direct negotiation between both sides without being affected by the wage pause Order?

An Ceann Comhairle

That is raising a particular matter on a general issue.

Mr. Norton

The Minister dealt with it this morning.

An Ceann Comhairle

This is Question Time, not this morning.

Dr. Ryan

I would have to know the particulars in that case. I did mention one case, health inspectors, and I have found out since that Deputy Michael O'Higgins had stated what was not true.

Dr. Browne

We may take it that claims now in progress will not be affected by the standstill provisions of the White Paper. Will those pending be affected by it?

Dr. Ryan

No, it is not so much pending. I stated that cases which had arisen out of the eighth round such as Civil Service claims would, of course, be disposed of and claims that had been a long time outstanding and could justly have been claimed to have been dealt with long ago would also be outside the range of the White Paper.

Mr. Norton

If, for example, a dispute arose months ago and it was suggested that the claim should be left over for 12 months until the position was clarified, the 12 months having elapsed and the matter having been reopened, is that not clearly a matter of a case of dragging along for a long time and is it not one of the claims that should be dealt with apart from the wage pause?

Dr. Ryan

It would have to be examined.

Mr. Dillon

Did the Minister mention that Deputy Michael O'Higgins stated in regard to health inspectors something that is not true?

Dr. Ryan

That is right.

Mr. Dillon

I understand Deputy Michael O'Higgins read a letter which had appeared in a daily paper and that was his only reference to health inspectors.

Dr. Ryan

It was not true.

Mr. Dillon

The contents of the letter were not true?

Dr. Ryan

No.

Mr. Dillon

The Minister should make that clear.

Mr. MacEntee

It will be made clear tonight in the official statement that it was not founded on facts.

Mr. Tully

There must be a dinner somewhere.

Mr. Dillon

The Minister said Deputy O'Higgins made a statement that is not true. It would have been fairer if he had said that the contents of the letter communicated by Deputy O'Higgins to the House today were not true.

Dr. Ryan

I think the onus is on a Deputy in this case to be fairly certain that he is stating the truth when he reads a letter.

Mr. Dillon

If it is published in the newspapers——

Mr. MacEntee

That is no guarantee.