asked the Minister for Lands if he will indicate in relation to the agreed supply of protective clothing for forestry workers (a) the date of agreement with the trade unions, (b) the nature of the agreement, (c) the number of employees involved, (d) the date on which the protective clothing was ordered, (e) the number of garments issued to forestry workers and (f) the reason for the delay.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Forestry Workers' Clothing.
37.
Agreement was reached with the trade unions last March regarding the provision of protective clothing to outdoor employees of various Government Departments including forest workers.
The agreement provided for an issue of rainwear—hat, jacket and trousers—and rubber boots to each man who satisfied certain service conditions. About 3,000 forest workers would be included in the agreement.
A trial consignment has been ordered from the contractors and arrangements will be made for distribution to the various forests when the unions have made known to the Department their recommendations as to such distribution.
The Minister is not quite correct in the reply he has given. I happen to be general secretary of one of the trade unions concerned and I can tell the Minister that we have received no such request. The least we should have are the facts of the case. Can the Minister say whether it is true that the Department of Lands ordered the rainwear for the forestry division through the Department of Posts and Telegraphs and that because that Department cannot supply the clothing from their contractors, the clothing cannot be issued? It is now midwinter and there has been no issue for this year.
My information is that the Federation of Rural Workers undertook in March last to supply my Department with a list of forests to which they would like supplies to be sent in the first instance.
That information is not correct.
The rest of my information is that the order for the trial supply was issued to the nominated contractor on 21st November— that was a week ago.
Surely the Minister will agree that it is a ridiculous situation that the Department of Lands should tell us that they have not been able to get supplies, that they have repeated that by letter during the past three months but that they did not place the order until 21st November?