asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether he has sanctioned the appointment by the Galway County Council of a rate collector who had not one of the necessary qualifications set out in the advertisement inviting applications—namely, a competent knowledge of Irish; whether he had stated in the Dáil on the 2nd August, 1933, that he did not propose to sanction this appointment; whether he will instruct the council to issue a new advertisement inviting applications for the post and further instruct the council that Irish is not to be mentioned as a necessary qualification.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Appointment of Galway Rate Collector.
Mr. Lynch (for Mr. Seán Brodrick)
The appointment of the person in question as rate collector was sanctioned on the 2nd ultimo subject to the condition that he will acquire a competent knowledge of Irish within a period of 12 months. I am aware of the terms of the reply to a previous question by the Deputy in connection with this matter. I do not propose to take any further action until the 12 months' qualifying period has expired.
Mr. Lynch
Does the Minister not consider that it is making a complete joke of the Irish language to allow advertisements to be inserted on behalf of a local authority stating that Irish is to be a necessary qualification, and then out of the number of candidates to select the one candidate who knew no Irish whatsoever?
That is not correct. When I replied to one question put to me by Deputy Brodrick here some time ago I had representations made to me by a number of people from County Galway, some stating that this man had Irish and some stating he had not Irish. I said if the man came up to me I would verify it myself and find out the truth. I had the man here in the House and cross-examined him and I found he had some Irish. I found he had not a competent knowledge of Irish, but he had, I think, enough Irish to enable me to sanction his appointment on condition that he would be able to pass a qualifying examination at the end of 12 months. He accepted that condition.
In other words, he was able to say "Vote Fianna Fáil."
It is not a crime to vote Fianna Fáil. When did it become a crime to vote Fianna Fáil?
Can the Minister say why it is the same conditions did not operate or obtain in the case of the appointment of a school attendance officer in Cork in the last 12 months?
That is a very different question.
It is the very same principle.