asked the Minister for Justice if he will state the circumstances under which two retired Gárda officers in receipt of substantial pensions from the State have been temporarily employed for the purpose of writing summonses for issue from the Dublin Metropolitan Courts; and if this work could not be as efficiently performed by unemployed men with large families or, even with a saving to the State, by the existing courts staff working overtime.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Employment of Retired Gárda Officers.
Mr. Boland
The work of preparing Gárda summonses has fallen into arrears in Dublin, and neither the court staff nor the Gárdaí can spare the necessary staff to bring it up to date. In these circumstances, two retired superintendents, both of whom are still under the usual Civil Service retiring age, have been temporarily employed to deal with the matter. The nature of the work makes it unsuitable for the short-term employment of temporary clerks without previous experience. In Dublin it is normally done by court clerks, elsewhere by the Gárdaí themselves.