asked the Minister for Labour the maximum and minimum salaries paid to temporary clerks in his Department.

In Dublin a male temporary clerk, if under 18 years, starts at £8 14s 1d and rises to £15 17s 6d. Outside Dublin the rates are £8 8s 6d to £13 16s 9d.

Female temporary clerks start at £7 19s 0d (under 18) and rise to £10 10s 3d in all areas.

These rates were settled under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for the Civil Service and may be adjusted through the procedures of that scheme.

Could the Minister tell me why clerks employed in the local employment exchanges here in Dublin are paid much less? What is the difference?

This relates to temporary clerks in the Department of Labour.

But this is the Minister's Department, too?

The answer presumably covers all clerks.

Is the Minister aware that there are clerks employed in his Department receiving much less than the figures he has just read out?

The Deputy will have to give me instances.

I have raised a question on this before.

Does this apply to temporary clerks employed in the labour exchanges as well?

Yes.

Do the same scales apply to married and single clerks?

I have given the scale. There is a sex differential.

I know a man who was offered £9 odd a week as a temporary clerk.

The information given to me by the Department of Labour is that temporary clerks employed in the employment exchanges are paid the rates I have given to the House. If there are instances known to the Deputies I will investigate them.

Could the Minister say how long it takes to reach the maximum?

I have not got the scale here.

Does the Minister not recall that, before the Recess, I drew his attention to the fact that male clerks were being offered £9 odd a week in the local employment exchanges in Dublin?

I have said that they start at £8 14s 1d if under 18, which rises to £15 17s 6d.

This was a man of 50 years of age.

There is no contradiction here.

Is the Minister aware that temporary clerks employed in his own Department, apart from the employment exchanges, are employed at £8 odd a week?

That is if they are under 18. They have a conciliation and arbitration scheme to adjust it if they want to.