asked the Minister for Finance if he has considered the present unsatisfactory position of Civil Service temporary clerks, and if he will state whether he intends to remove the present injustice whereby a number of such State employees are graded on a temporary basis for as many as 20 and more years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Civil Service Temporary Clerks.
I must say initially that I do not for a moment accept the implications contained in the Deputy's question. The temporary clerks to whom the Deputy refers fall into two groups—general service and departmental. An opportunity of securing establishment by way of limited competitions has already been afforded to the general service group. The treatment of the departmental group presents a number of difficulties. Employment in many instances is seasonal and could, therefore, not be regarded by any ordinary standards as warranting the grant of establishment. The departmental classes will necessarily have to be dealt with on the individual merits. Wholesale conversion would be quite out of the question even if the very material consideration of cost did not operate. On this aspect of the matter I would refer the Deputy to the reply given by me to Deputy Cowan on the 4th May last.