asked the Minister for Labour if he will ensure by the introduction of legislation, if necessary, that the conditions of employment of workers such as ESB meter readers will have to be drawn up in terms which will make the employment insurable under the Social Welfare Acts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - ESB Meter Readers.
23.
I assume the Deputy has in mind persons employed under what is described as a contract for service, that is, the person undertakes to have certain work performed for a specified payment and is not obliged to carry out the work in person. I understand such persons are not insurable under the Social Welfare Acts. I do not see that any action is open to me to change the conditions of employment of persons in this category so they will become insurable under these Acts.
Is the Minister aware that some of the workers have not got a formal contract?
The fact that they take on the work assumes they are doing it for contract. The Deputy is aware that people will do painting or even small building jobs without a signed contract. It is a contract for service and not a contract with service. They do not have to do the work themselves. They can get somebody else to do the job.
Is the Minister aware that the problem is becoming aggravated by deterioration of conditions of work? I know he is punch-hitting for the Minister for Labour but is he not aware that it is incumbent on the Department of Labour to see that the conditions of work are as good as they may be and does he not think that even if it is necessary to introduce legislation these people should be covered by social welfare?
I do not know what the Deputy means by the conditions of work but our information is that they usually do four or five days every two months. Very often they are pensioners or people employed in other — possibly insurable — employments. They are paid per meter and the amount they get may be smaller than what they should get but they are not doing a normal job such as they would be doing in full-time employment.
Is the Minister aware that a large deputation from this group came to meet me in Cavan, that all of them were young men, all were employed on more days per month than the Minister indicates and all of them are under severe hardship because of the increased price of fuel? They have long distances to cover and much larger numbers of houses to call on to read meters because of the expansion of rural electrification?
I am aware that some of them may be doing more days than is suggested in the reply but the more meters they read the more they are paid. At one time I represented a considerable number of these people and a High Court decision on this matter decided against this type of work. At least that is the information I have, that they are not insurable.
I do not think it was the High Court.
I shall pass on the Deputy's remarks to the Minister for Labour.