MR. PATRICK O'BRIENI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that great inconvenience and loss is caused to the farmers supplying milk to creameries in Ireland, and also to the proprietors of these establishments, by reason of the fact that the existing law for the regulation of factories does not permit the employment of female labour on Sundays; and whether, as fresh milk must be attended to on Sundays as on other days, as a necessary work, on farms or places other than Irish dairy factories, he will take steps to legalise the employment of dairy maids in these factories on Sundays, and meantime that the existing law will not be enforced against those 1308 engaged on Sundays in such work in the dairy factories?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENTYes, I have been aware for some time of the state of things mentioned in the honourable Member's Question. It is clear, I think, that there should be some modifications in the provisions of the Factory Acts which would allow women to work in the Irish creameries for a few hours on Sundays, with a corresponding reduction of the legal hours of labour on week days. I introduced a Bill this Session which would have enabled me to deal with the difficulty, but owing to the opposition which it encountered from honourable Members opposite I have been unable to proceed with it.
MR. PATRICK O'BRIENWill the right honourable Gentleman see that the law is not unreasonably enforced in the meantime?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENTI hope it is not the practice to enforce the law unreasonably.