Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 8 Apr 1943

Vol. 89 No. 14

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mayo Postal Appointment.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware that an appointment as postman at Balla, County Mayo, was offered to Mr. Michael James Reddington, boy messenger at Ballina, and that a Civil Service certificate was issued in his favour to enable him to take up the appointment, whether he is aware of the fact that the offer of appointment was subsequently cancelled, if he will state on whose authority the offer of appointment was so cancelled, and why; whether he is aware of the fact that the non-application of the Civil Service certificate in Mr. Reddington's case is resulting in loss of wages to him, and whether he will take steps to remedy the obvious injustice which is being inflicted upon Mr. Reddington.

I am aware that in October, 1942, an appointment as postman at Balla, County Mayo, was offered to Mr. Michael James Reddington, that a Civil Service certificate had been issued in his favour and that the offer of appointment was subsequently cancelled.

The appointment was not proceeded with on my instructions, but I was not aware at the time that the matter had reached such an advanced stage, as otherwise the cancellation would not have taken place.

Boy messengers have not any claim to be appointed to a particular post, and Mr. Reddington was offered the next suitable vacancy which occurred at Castlebar in January, 1943. He, however, declined this appointment as he preferred to await another vacancy at Foxford to which he is being appointed on 11th instant. This is the most that can be done in the matter.

Will the Minister answer the portion of the question which states:—

"If he will state on whose authority the offer of the appointment was so cancelled, and why?"

Mr. Boland

I have stated that the appointment was not proceeded with on the instructions of the Minister.

But does he state why?

Mr. Boland

As stated in the answer, the Minister was not aware at the time that the matter had reached such an advanced stage, otherwise the cancellation would not have taken place. I do not know the answer to the Deputy's question "why".

There is no answer to "why" there. Is that not so? The Minister's reply is very unsatisfactory, but I am somewhat handicapped in asking a supplementary question because, of course, the real culprit is unfortunately not present.

Mr. Boland

There is no culprit in the case. I do not think the Deputy should use the word "culprit".

The Minister does not know what has happened.

The circumstances not being known, the Minister cannot be expected to deal with them.

I asked the Minister if he would state on whose authority the offer of appointment was cancelled and why. This question is one month old and the Minister should be able to answer this simple question: why was the appointment cancelled? Does he know that this officer was offered an appointment at Balla by the Post Office authorities, that normally this case would not go to the Minister but that, in fact, political representations were made in the case and the Minister intervened in such a way as completely to depart from the normal code of Post Office procedure? Does the Minister further know that the effect of the intervention in this matter is to deprive this officer of six months' established service? Does he know that a further effect of the intervention is to deprive this officer of a wage increase of 2/6 per week since January 1st? Furthermore, does he know that, having caused a mess in this case, the Minister is now responsible for a situation in which the Post Office are demanding that this officer refund unemployment insurance contributions which were not paid by him while the Civil Service certificate was in operation, and which are being demanded now to save somebody's face even though the demand, as the Minister's colleague, the Minister for Industry and Commerce, will tell him, is completely illegal since a demand for unemployment insurance contributions cannot be made unless the contributions are deducted at the time of payment?

Mr. Boland

I find here some notes which may answer part of the Deputy's question. The Minister found that a married man with four children would be displaced if this appointment were proceeded with. That is the reason the appointment was cancelled. The decision was come to on compassionate grounds because the appointment would mean the displacement of a man with four children for a boy of 19.

Will the Minister say whether any restitution is to be made to this officer because of the fact that the Minister's intervention has deprived him of a wage increase of 2/6 per week and also of six months' established service?

Mr. Boland

I know he is to be appointed to Foxford on the 11th instant.

What about his wages and his established service?

The Deputy had better put down a separate question.

I shall raise the matter on the Estimates again.

Top
Share