To ask the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that the Great Northern Railway Company (Ireland) has not held any competitive open examinations for male clerks for the past five years, thus violating specific parliamentary guarantees given many years ago, providing for the filling of not less than three-fourths of the clerical vacancies by open competitive examination, and if he will take steps to see that the Company is not allowed to revert to its former practice of confining its clerical appointments to the sons of people commanding certain influences or belonging to a particular religious persuasion.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. - CLERICAL VACANCIES (GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY).
(replying for Minister for Industry and Commerce): The Great Northern Railway Company states that it has not held any open competitive examination for male clerkships since 1918 for the reason that such clerical vacancies as it has been necessary to fill have been given to men who served in the European War and were out of employment or to the sons and near relatives of the Company's own employees. The Company asserts that its right to fill vacancies by appointing sons and relatives of its own employees has always been definitely recognised.