Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 13 Nov 2003

Vol. 574 No. 3

Written Answers. - Departmental Staff.

John McGuinness

Ceist:

257 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government if the full rate of subsistence allowance was awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny during the period 1995 up to their retirement in 1999 when they were employed as a foreman with the Office of Public Works-Dúchas; if this issue was covered by the conciliation conference on 16 May 1997 under the Labour Relations Commission; if arrears are due to this person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27006/03]

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Cullen)

The person concerned was paid the subsistence allowances applicable to his grade in the Kilkenny national monuments district, up to the time of his retirement. The arrangements agreed between management and the relevant trade unions as a consequence of a conciliation conference facilitated by the Labour Relations Commission in 1997 dealt with a national re-grading of supervisory chargehands to foremen. This agreement did not encompass other issues such as subsistence.

Following later negotiations with the trade unions, a higher rate of subsistence was conceded to all serving foremen in the Kilkenny district, with retrospective effect to 1 January 2001. Since the person in question had retired in 1999, he did not qualify for payment of arrears.