asked the Minister for Education whether he has received a memorandum from the women national teachers of Dublin, protesting against the unfair discrimination shown towards their sex in the proposed new scale of salaries and if he will state whether he proposes to meet the following demands, as set out in the memorandum: (a) equality of pay with male teachers for equal work; (b) equality of the allowances for all principals in schools of similar classes and retention of special increments for principals; (c) the payment of bonuses equal to those paid to male teachers, for academic qualifications, including the Árd-Teastas; (d) the payment of adequate pensions to all teachers, and in particular to those with service prior to 1934 in convent schools; (e) the abolition of the rating "highly efficient"; (f) improvement of the pay and conditions of untrained assistants and junior assistant mistresses; and (g) the extension to 65 years of age of the retiring age for women teachers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Women Teachers' Salaries.
I have received the memorandum to which the Deputy refers. I have nothing to add to the statements made by me to the representatives of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation in the course of correspondence and discussion with them in regard to the question of improved salary scales for teachers.
The Minister will see that my question is under seven separate heads. He has not answered one of them. In view of the burden that is being borne by teachers, through the high cost of living and the profits made by those in business and the failure to give teachers a reasonable salary, will the Minister not let the House know what offer he has made to them as well as an opportunity of deciding whether he has treated them with justice or not?
Will the Minister, at some future date, consider the principle of equal pay for female and male labour in his Department? At this time of day, I think it is only proper that a woman principal teacher should be paid the same salary as a male principal teacher.
I do not think that the points raised by Deputy Anthony can be dealt with by way of a supplementary answer. I prefer at present to make no further statement on this question.
I want to make the point that the House is entitled to know what Ministers are doing. We should not have to wait to be told outside that strikes are threatened, or of the efforts that are being made to keep the teachers together.
If the Deputy wants to ask a question he should do so and not make speeches.
I did give the Minister due notice of my question. I asked, first of all, what about a decent pension for teachers. The Minister made no reference to that. I want to know if Ministers are to treat me differently from the way they treat other members? My rights are equal to those of other Deputies. I was elected by a substantial vote in my constituency, and when I ask a question I think I am entitled to a fair answer. I have given due notice of this question, and I ask the Minister not to take up the attitude that he will refuse to answer it. I think that am entitled to better treatment from the Minister, from the Taoiseach and from the House.
The Deputy should ask a supplementary question and not make a speech.
If the Minister is not in a position to answer Deputy Byrne's inquiry now, he should have the courtesy to tell him why he withholds the answer at the present time, and indicate a reasonable future date on which he will be able to give an answer to the specific questions asked. I think that as an Independent member, Deputy Byrne is entitled to that.
I do not think it is necessary for Deputy Dillon to act as an auxiliary to Deputy Byrne in this matter. I think the House knows what the position is. For a considerable time the question of improved salary scales for teachers has been the subject of discussion and of correspondence between the representatives of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation and myself. That is a matter of general knowledge. Deputy Byrne cannot be so innocent that he is not aware of the fact that the Government's offer to the teachers is at present the subject of consideration by their organisation. In my view Deputy Byrne's intervention in this matter— this, of course, is not the first occasion on which he has intervened — is not helpful to the position. Until this matter had been decided one way or the other I had not intended publishing the new scales for teachers. I wished to give the teachers the fullest opportunity of considering the offer that has been put before them. Deputies need not be under the slightest misapprehension. There is no question whatever of withholding any information from the Dáil. The point is, when is the appropriate time? Is it appropriate to publish, or to discuss here in the House, the terms of this offer before we definitely know what reception they have received from the party principally involved?
And when the Minister knows that he will be able to give the House the information that Deputy Byrne is seeking?
I have nothing further to add.
The Minister made reference to my intervention. Is he aware that I was invited to raise the matter in the Dáil by the representatives of 600 women teachers in Dublin who recently published a memorandum which I have enumerated in my question? My intervention was made by invitation of the party concerned.
The Deputy cannot continue making a series of speeches on every question he raises.
My intervention was due to the invitation I got.