asked the Minister for Health the rate of pay and the hours of work of all non-nursing personnel employed by the county hospitals in each health authority.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Non-Nursing Personnel in County Hospitals.
184.
I presume that the term "non-nursing personnel" relates to the various wage-earning grades such as porters, attendants, domestics, caretakers, boilermen and so on. Traditionally, the wages and hours of work of these grades are related to the conditions obtaining locally in similar employments and health authorities may decide these matters without my specific approval. For this reason particulars of local wage rates and hours of work are not normally furnished to my Department, and I do not consider that the assembly of such a large and complex return would be justified.
Surely the Minister is aware that when some local authorities recently indicated that they proposed to raise wage rates to rates which they considered to be the local rate the Minister's Department refused to sanction such increases? If the Minister says that he has no responsibility or nothing to do with the increases and that it is a matter for the local authority, would that be indicated to the county managers so that this matter will not arise again. It is very difficult to find out what the local rates are but when local rates are decided on and notified to the Department they have indicated that they would not be prepared to agree to granting them.
I do not think that is right. Is it?
Yes, it is. Boilermen employed by a county hospital are a particular case. It was arranged that they should be paid the same rate as local boilermen and the Department said they could not be paid. Perhaps the Minister would have something done about it?
I shall have a look at it.