To ask the Minister for Home Affairs to state the numerical strength of the Civic Guard and the maximum number it is his intention to recruit for this particular service; the names, salaries, and emoluments of the Chief Commissioner and his chief assistant or assistants, the rates of pay and conditions of service of all other grades, and whether or not, and under what circumstances, any of its members have been placed on the active service list?
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. - THE CIVIC GUARD.
The strength of the Civic Guard is at the present time 1,500 Officers and men, and it is proposed to recruit as a maximum 4,300 Officers and men. The names and salaries of the Chief Commissioner and his Assistant are:—
Commissioner General O'Duffy, salary £1,300, lodging allowance £120.
Assistant Commissioner Coogan, salary £900, lodging allowance, £80.
The rates of pay for other ranks are:—
Chief Superintendent, salary of £650 p.a., rising by £25 p.a. to £800.
Superintendent, salary of £400 p.a., rising by £20 p.a. to £600.
Inspector, salary of £310 p.a., rising by £10 p.a. to £360.
Sergeant, £5 to £5 12s. per week, by an annual increment of 2s. per week.
Guards, £3 10s. to £4 15s. per week by annual increment of 2s. per week from £3 10s. to £4 10s. with 2s. 6d. at 17 years and 2s. 6d. at 22 years, per week to men whose services have been found to be satisfactory.
Conditions of Service.—Candidates for the Civic Guard are to be between the ages of 19 and 27 years, and the age for retirement has been provisionally fixed at 57 years for Inspectors, Sergeants and Guards—may be extended to 60 if approved by the Minister of Home Affairs. Higher ranks 60 years may be extended to 63 years on similar approval.
No member of the Civic Guard is on active service, but some of the members have severed their connection with the Civic Guard and joined the Army.
A limited number of men in Kildare and Leix were employed in posts for the protection of Railway Communications and property generally, but they have reverted to ordinary routine duties, and have been distributed where housing accommodation is available.