I wish to draw the attention of the House to a matter which, I think, is worthy of the attention of Deputies, because it seems to have relation to a set Government policy, or at least a policy of the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs. I will leave the Minister to say whether there is any other responsibility besides his own in this matter. There appeared some few weeks ago an advertisement for the post of news assistant to the Dublin Broadcasting Station. The salary, inclusive and non-pensionable, is as follows:—Married man, £5 to £6 a week; unmarried man or woman, £4 to £5 a week. Candidates must be not less than 25 and not more than 50 years of age. Candidates must have a good knowledge of journalistic work, including editing, and experience of reporting is essential. One would, even with no further information than is contained in the advertisement, realise that a candidate who must have a good knowledge of journalistic work, including editing, must be a person of experience and responsibility.
Following up the necessity for editorial experience, the qualifications require that he must have had experience in reporting as well. But when the ap plicants applied for further information they were provided with a list of the proposed duties and conditions of appointment of news assistant in connection with news service for broadcasting. That list is quite a considerable one. But there is one paragraph in it, which is near the end, that I would like to emphasise at the beginning. It is that the appointment will be a part-time one. Now, it is a part-time appointment as news assistant of the broadcasting service at a payment of £4 a week if an unmarried man, who must have had a good knowledge of journalistic work, including editing and experience in reporting. Here is what he has to do in his part time at £4 a week:—
"1. Take record of proceedings in Oireachtas and prepare daily summary." The Dáil and Seanad are meeting together, and this news assistant is to take a record of the proceedings and prepare a daily summary.
"2. Obtain reports from Dublin Police and Fire Brigade Stations and Detective Office of important or sensational happenings." These are to come while he is taking a record of the Dáil proceedings. I suppose he will whisper round to the Deputies, and tell them of the sensational happenings somewhere in the city to divert their attention from the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs when he is making a statement regarding the next Wireless Broadcasting Bill.
"3. He is to obtain particulars of outstanding events from National, Cultural, Musical, and Athletic organisations, e.g., Gaelic League, Feis Ceóil, Royal Irish Academy, Royal Dublin Societies, Chamber of Commerce, Athletic Governing Bodies, etc., etc." A part-time appointment.
"4. To obtain results and short descriptions of hurling, football, cricket, etc., matches in which there is general interest." On Saturday afternoon there may be an Association match in one part of the city and a Rugby match in another part of the city, and on Sunday a hurling match and a Gaelic football championship. He is to obtain results and write short descriptions of these things for the purpose of submitting them to the public through the wireless apparatus.
"5. Obtain results of more important races." There is nothing here about prophecies of the results of future races, but I suppose that will come in his spare time.
"6. Obtain daily produce market reports from creamery managers, association and kindred bodies." And then having got all that from all these bodies he is
"7. To edit and prepare for issue a typed statement of all news obtained from the foregoing sources and incorporate in the report the following particulars which will be supplied by the Department of Posts and Telegraphs:—(a) Quotations of Stocks and Shares from the Dublin Stock Exchange, (b) Market and Agricultural Reports furnished by the Department of Lands and Agriculture, (c) Foreign news, (d) Provincial news." Now this part-time officer is to obtain all these reports of the first six items which I read and then to edit and type and prepare for issue. not only these, but these other particulars which the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs is to obtain by means of some other part-time servant, I suppose. Having accomplished all that in his part-time he is to be subject to the termination of his appointment at one week's notice. The appointment is to be non-pensionable and will be for one year in the first instance, subject then or thereafter to a week's notice on either side.
"The person appointed to the position will be required to furnish a guarantee that there will be no infringement of copyright, and shall provide a bond for £1,000 to be obtained from an approved insurance society or company indemnifying the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs as representative of the State against any action, claims or expenses caused to the Department of Posts and Telegraphs by any infringement or alleged infringement of copyright." Now, on the face of it, to any observer, however casual, it must be evident that that is not a part-time job. It is probably intended that it shall be a job for a man and his wife and his aunts and uncles, particularly the aunts who can ferret round for information. And he is to be paid £4 per week!