asked the Minister for Defence if he proposes to form a new Volunteer force; whether he has recruited into the Army specially for the purpose of organising this force a number of (1) officers and (2) men; if he will state the total number of (1) officers and (2) men so recruited; the duties which they are at present performing; the rates of pay and the allowances paid to these (1) officers and (2) men; the statutory authority under which they have been recruited; and the financial authority under which they are being paid.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Volunteer Force.
I refer the Deputy to to-day's Order Paper, which contains a Notice of Motion asking the Dáil for leave to introduce a Supplementary Estimate to cover the expenses connected with the establishment of a Volunteer force. When the Estimate comes up for consideration I shall give the Dáil full particulars of the scheme.
Will the Minister in this matter of the new Volunteer force have regard to the fact that there are large numbers of members or ex-members of the old Casement Brigade at present unemployed, and does he intend to make any provision for these men?
That question does not arise.
As well as giving us the information as to what he proposes to do in connection with the Volunteer force, perhaps he will answer a question in connection with Question 21, as to what has been done already?
Somebody evidently told the Deputy some time or another that it was a sign of intelligence to ask questions. He did not tell the Deputy that the questions should be intelligent questions. I do not propose to answer unintelligent or idle questions. I will give the Dáil full information and full particulars on which they can base their decision when the Estimate comes before them.
Will the Minister say what particular part of this question is unintelligent for a Deputy to ask? Is it (1) asking for the number of officers and men engaged in organising this Force; or (2) the number of officers and men so recruited; (3) the duties they are at present performing; (4) the rates of pay and allowances paid to these officers and men; (5) the statutory authority under which they have been recruited, and (6) the financial authority under which they are being paid? Would the Minister say which of these questions is an unintelligent question so that in the future we may avoid asking unintelligent questions?
I am afraid that if I specify that, the Deputy would not avoid in the future asking unintelligent questions. Is not the Deputy perfectly well aware that every Commission that is granted is published in the Iris Oifigiúil; is he not aware that the Department of Defence is run under the Defence Forces Act passed by this House, and that any moneys spent are spent in accordance with the Votes passed by this House under that Act, and if the Deputy is aware of that why ask such a question as he has asked?
Is the Minister aware that Deputies have not access to the documents in connection with the various types of Commission, and is the Minister aware that there have been Press notices as to the number of people appointed by him in this Volunteer Force upon which he has said nothing now? For that reason I submit to the Minister that it is a reasonable thing to ask for this information.
Does the Deputy think that it is a reasonable thing to ask for information that is already easily available to him through the Iris Oifigiúil, where he can find out the name of every officer appointed? I do not propose to answer questions asked by a Deputy when the information is available to him in this official publication. I object to reading out extracts from copies of the Iris Oifigiúil for his amusement.
Will the Minister tell me where I am to refer for particulars as to the pay and allowances that are being made to these men at present?
If the Deputy will refer to the Army Estimates and to the regulations under the Defence Forces Act he will find all the information he is asking for.
Will the Minister tell us——
Next question.