asked the Minister for Finance whether he will state what special qualification is possessed by the person appointed to fill the position of overseer of buildings for Dublin, Division F, in the Office of Public Works; whether an examination was held; and, if so, what place the successful candidate obtained.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - APPOINTMENT OF OVERSEER OF BUILDINGS.
The person appointed is a carpenter with twenty-two years' experience in the building trade. He held at different times the posts of foreman, clerk of works on building jobs and also carried on business as a building contractor.
Posts of this kind could not well be filled by examination. They are filled after consideration of the likely candidates by senior officers of the Board of Works, preference being given to applicants who served in the National Army, and due regard being paid to the merits and suitability of men already in the service of the Board. Apart from his extended technical qualifications and experience the man appointed in the present instance was selected as the best qualified for the special requirements of this particular post.
The Deputy is referred to the answers given to the previous questions relating to this post on the 17th July last.
Mr. BOLAND
Does the Parliamentary Secretary mean to say that people with 20 years' experience in the Board of Works were not at least as well qualified as this gentleman who, to everybody's knowledge, has been at least twelve years away, I will admit on work of national importance, from whatever angle you like to look at it, but he certainly was not engaged in this particular business. I put it to the Parliamentary Secretary that he was one of the least qualified men for the position. I would like also to mention that his principal qualification was that he was an organiser for the Cumann na nGaedheal Party in Dublin. What answer has the Parliamentary Secretary to that?
Mr. BOURKE
Absolutely untrue.
Mr. BOLAND
No, quite the contrary. Everybody knows that it is a fact. It was not for the man's ability at all. He was already remunerated for his work in the National Army. Everybody knows that as a building contractor he was not a success. It was stated in the answer to which I am referring that this gentleman "was perfectly qualified to discuss various matters with people of very high rank." Well, I happen to know that he was not qualified from that point of view at all, and I want to say that this appointment was a job pure and simple.