asked the Minister for Finance whether arrangements will be made to extend the five-day week to all employees of the Office of Public Works so as to obviate Saturday travelling and added costs of maintenance in the case of those employees working away from home.

The five-day week all the year round has been conceded as far as possible to Office of Public Works employees. As I indicated in reply to a question on 3rd November, 1966, there are practical difficulties in the way of extending the concession to certain groups of workers. The factors mentioned by the Deputy have been taken into consideration.

Surely the Minister must be aware that the five-day week has been conceded to practically all employees, except manual employees of the State during the winter period? Would the Minister not set the headline by giving the employees referred to in Deputy Clohessy's quesriage-differentiate tion this concession by reducing the week a very small amount during the whole year?

Again, I understand this is under discussion.

But the Minister may not be aware that it is under consideration for two and a half years.

It is under discussion at the moment and I do not think any useful purpose can be served by discussing it here.