asked the Taoiseach if he will furnish particulars of the survey of earnings of agricultural workers which was carried out pursuant to EEC Regulation 677/74 of 21st March, 1974, and referred to in a reply of 5th March, 1975.
Written Answers. - Agricultural Workers.
97.
In accordance with EEC Regulation 677/74 of 21st March, 1974, the Central Statistics Office, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, conducted a pilot survey on the earnings of permanent agricultural workers in May, 1974. As a survey of this kind had not been undertaken previously in this country, it was agreed with the EEC Commission to carry out a small-scale pilot test to assess the likely technical difficulties associated with a full-scale inquiry and to test various methods of data collection. The pilot investigation was successful in these respects but it was not designed to produce numerical results.
98.
asked the Taoiseach the number of people who were employed in agricultural work on the land in January, 1973, and in January, 1976.
Annual estimates of the total labour force classified according to broad industrial groups are compiled only in respect of April of each year. The estimated number of persons at work in the agricultural sector in April, 1973, was 261,000 and the corresponding provisional estimate for April, 1976, is 249,000.