asked the Minister for Finance whether a scheme for a Conciliation Council for the Civil Service has recently been issued; whether the scheme was, prior to issue, submitted to a Joint Committee of official and staff representatives in accordance with the undertaking given by the Minister; whether he is personally acquainted with the views of the Service in regard to that scheme; whether he has considered the request for an interview made on February 26th, 1925, by Staff Organisations representative of the entire Saorstát Civil Service; and whether, in view of his repeated assurances that he would be personally accessible to them on important general Service issues, he is prepared to grant the interview.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - CIVIL SERVICE CONCILIATION COUNCIL.
TOMAS MAC EOIN
A scheme for setting up a Civil Service Representative Council was issued last December. The object which the scheme will effect is to give the staffs facilities for making known their views on Government proposals affecting the Service and on matters appropriate for discussion which the staffs themselves desire to bring forward.
The scheme was not submitted to any Joint Committee, but every aspect of it was carefully investigated before it was decided upon. From a very full statement furnished by the Staff Associations, I am personally acquainted with the views of the Service in regard to the scheme. I have considered the request for an interview, but as the scheme has already been launched, do not think that at this stage an interview would serve any useful purpose. The operation of the scheme now only awaits action by the staffs themselves. If experience of its working indicates that it is capable of improvement, I shall be prepared to grant an interview to representatives of the Staff Associations on the subject.
Are we to take it from the Minister that a scheme of this kind, which was obviously intended to be mutual, is launched by the Ministry without consultation with the people who are to co-operate?
No. I certainly saw the staffs twice myself on the subject, and there was a good deal of discussion on it.
Have the staffs agreed to the scheme?
No, not by action at any rate, although I understand that certain associations have applied for recognition, and are being granted recognition, with a view to being represented on the Council, but there has not been formal agreement, I understand.