asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he received during the last nine months any representations from the Ministry of Defence as to the necessity for providing schemes of employment for demobilised men; if such representations were made, what were the dates and nature of such representations, and what steps were taken by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to comply with such requisitions from the Ministry of Defence.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - EMPLOYMENT SCHEMES FOR DEMOBILISED MEN.
, replying: The Ministry of Industry and Commerce does not receive requisitions from the Ministry of Defence as to the provision of employment. The Executive Council has considered from time to time proposals for absorbing demobilised officers and men into employment, and the following measures have been adopted with that object—
1. Preference is given to demobilised soldiers for temporary employment in all Government Departments, and for posts as messengers, caretakers, park-keepers, and similar occupations.
2. A percentage of appointments in the public service filled by competitive examination has been reserved for demobilised soldiers.
3. Preference is given in the placing of Government contracts to firms employing demobilised soldiers.
4. Appeals have been published and have been circulated to public bodies and private employers requesting that demobilised men who left employment to join the Army be reinstated, and that preference be given to demobilised men in filling new vacancies on their staffs.
5. It is a condition of the large grants that are being made available for road work that preference be given to demobilised men. The same condition will apply to any other works carried out with public funds.
A Resettlement Section has been established in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce which, in conjunction with the Ministry of Defence, has the special duty of endeavouring to secure employment for demobilised officers and men. Through the agency of this Section, employment has been found for over 2,000 men since demobilisation began.
I would like to ask the Minister whether he is aware that a large number of employers in the City of Dublin, including some public boards, have refused to reinstate demobbed men who left their employment to answer the call to arms some time ago; and will he take some steps to make a special appeal to these employers to have these men taken back to their employment?
Mr. O'HIGGINS
I am not personally aware of these matters. I will bring the fact that the Deputy has stated that it is so, to the attention of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.