asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if it is his intention to open an additional post office in the vicinity of Inchicore, Dublin; and if so, if he will indicate the prospective site, and the conditions of employment of the postmaster.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Inchicore Post Office.
It was intended to open an additional sub-post office in the Inchicore area, but the advertisement of the vacancy resulted in the receipt of only one application and the applicant was unable to provide premises.
The inclusive salary would be £43 17s. 0d. for a married person and £38 13s. 0d. for a single person. The appointment would be subject to the usual conditions applying to the sub-postmaster class.
Is that salary per week or per month?
Does the Minister consider the emoluments offered sufficiently attractive to get a suitable person for the post and is he aware that, out of that sum, the sub-postmaster would have to provide accommodation, heating, lighting and an assistant?
The position of a sub-postmaster is that of a contractor. He usually has a shop as well and this is only considered as part of the income of the person who owns the shop.
Am I to understand that the State offered this potential sub-postmaster a salary of £38 or £43 a year—15/- to 17/- per week—for running a post office at Inchicore?
It is a sub-post office and not a salaried office. It is a scale-paid office, as the Deputy knows.
Was any formula provided by which the person could live on a salary of 15/- to 17/- per week?
The Deputy is begging the whole question.
And the sub-postmasters will be begging, if you have your way.
The whole system in these countries is that sub-postmasters have shops as well and this is only portion of their business. The fact that they have this business brings other business into the shop.
And nobody wanted the job.