asked the Minister for Defence if he will state for what reason the services of Mr. William Coen, Junior, Frenchfort, Arranmore, County Galway, have been dispensed with as caretaker of the Department's lands at Arranmore, and if he will state who has been appointed to the position; the remuneration paid annually to Mr. Coen for his services; and the remuneration which is being paid at present.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dismissal of Caretaker.
Mr. William Coen (Junior) was appointed caretaker of the Department of Defence lands at Oranmore, County Galway, on the 1st October, 1930, at a yearly wage of £12. His services were dispensed with on the 10th May, 1933, as being unsatisfactory.
Mr. John Melville (Michael), Glenascaul, Oranmore, the present holder of the position, was appointed with effect as from the 23rd May, 1933, and is in receipt of the same rate of remuneration as was paid to Mr. Coen.
Is the Minister aware that Mr. Coen had no information of any kind that his services were in any way unsatisfactory?
He knew that himself.
Will the Minister say why if his services were unsatisfactory he was not informed of the fact?
I am not going to say any more about it, but Mr. Coen knew that his services were unsatisfactory.
Were his services unsatisfactory by reason of the fact that he was not a political supporter of the Minister?
If the Deputy wants to claim as a political supporter and colleague a man whose services were unsatisfactory, well, then, it is all right.
What other interpretation can we put on it when the Minister states that he dispensed with Mr. Coen's services without telling him why?
Is the Deputy saying that his services were dispensed with because he was a political supporter of his?
No, but I am putting the question as to why a man who had the service that Mr. Coen had in the Minister's Department had his services dispensed with?
You did that with General O'Duffy, did you not?
If Deputy Davin wants that applied generally let him address himself to his own colleagues in the matter; but if the Labour Party are satisfied with the answers from the Minister for Defence that a man's services may be dispensed with after a couple of years' service without any explanation, good, bad or indifferent then it is a new policy adopted by the Labour Party as well as a new policy adopted by the Department of Defence.
After Deputy Mulcahy's speech all I want to say is that if he gets Mr. Coen's permission, I shall give him the reasons publicly.
I am taking the case on its merits. I do not know anything about him except that he was dismissed by the Department without any explanation, good, bad or indifferent.
The Deputy is taking Mr. Coen at his word. Let the Deputy get Mr. Coen's permission and I shall give the reason in public.
Surely the Minister is perfectly at liberty to give either to the man concerned or to me any explanation he wishes.
I do not want to injure the man.