Captain CRAIGasked whether the Chief Secretary is aware that the Drogheda Corporation has reduced the pay and hours of those members of its staff who are in receipt of old age pensions; whether this course has the approval of the Irish Local Government Board; and if the Government will interfere to prevent the granting of an old age pension from operating to penalise work and wages?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI understand that it has been the practice of the Drogheda Corporation for a considerable time to put their old workmen, when no longer fit for an ordinary day's labour, on light work, decreasing their hours and reducing their wages. This has been done in the case of an aged and crippled workman who is the only man on the staff in receipt of an old age pension. The action of the corporation does not require the approval of the Local Government Board. There is no reason to suppose that it has had the effect indicated in the last paragraph of the question.