asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he will indicate the wages paid to bakers' board men and foremen working in Dublin City, Cork City and in the towns of Cobh, Midleton, Youghal, Fermoy and Mitchelstown.

Records of the wages of bakers, or other workers, are not kept in my Department. The information which the Deputy requires could, I am sure, be obtained from the men concerned, or their employers.

The wage of bakers was the subject of a recent award by the Labour Court. Information regarding the terms of the award can be ascertained by inquiry at the Labour Court.

Does not the Statistical Office issue from time to time a document dealing with the general rates of wages?

The annual report of the Labour Court contains all that information.

Could the Minister state if there are varying wages being paid in these particular areas that I have mentioned?

I have no information on that point. The Labour Court issues a recommendation which may or may not be put into operation.

Surely the Central Statistics Office issues a document periodically dealing with the general rates of wages for different classes of workers?

So far as I know, the Central Statistics Office gets its information from the Labour Court publication.

Surely it has the information and surely it collects it for the purpose of issuing a regular periodic report of its own?

Yes, but neither the Central Statistics Office nor the Department of Industry and Commerce could state the rates of wages in operation to-day in any particular district.