asked the Minister for Lands if he has had an opportunity of investigating the complaint that forestry workers, when going on annual leave, are forced to take two Saturdays which are non-working days in their leave; and, if so, what it is proposed to do about the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Annual Leave of Forestry Workers.
12.
I have looked into this matter as promised and find that the position as regards annual leave arrangements of forestry workers is as follows:—
Under the Holidays (Employees) Act, 1961 these workers are entitled to two full calendar weeks' leave but with the qualification permitting other odd days to be granted in accordance with custom in the employment, such additional days being deducted from the main annual leave period. This, in effect, means that forestry workers who enjoy four such additional odd days have their annual leave allowance reduced from 14 days to ten days, the reduction being of four working days. On a five-day week basis a fourteen day annual leave period would include ten working days. A ten-day leave period correspondingly includes six working days—two Saturdays and two Sundays being included in each case.