asked the Minister for Finance if he has received, or had his attention directed to, a circular letter sent out by the National Federation of Ex-Servicemen pointing out (a) the failure of the Government to give effect to the terms of the White Paper on Demobilisation; and (b) to a denial of a statement made by the Minister in his reply to a question addressed to him in Dáil Éireann on the 22nd March, 1949, and if he will now state what steps he proposes to take to give full effect to the terms and spirit of the White Paper.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - White Paper on Demobilisation.
I have received the circular letter referred to by the Deputy and am having its contents examined. I do not, of course, accept the implications contained in the question.
Would the Minister now give sympathetic consideration to the appointment of the 32 candidates who qualified at the examination and also passed the interview board? I should also be glad if he would consider the question of providing an opportunity, at least an average of one per year, for the period that the White Paper guaranteed to these men that they would be allowed to stand for an examination. If that is done, and even if no candidates qualify, I feel that they can have no complaint, and that the members of this House who gave unanimous approval to the White Paper can feel that they have stood over their guarantee to those men.
That is one of the points, of course, that is being examined. The 32 candidates referred to had, of course, a chance of qualifying at the clerical officers' examination. The White Paper is not being departed from. I have improved on it in one point of benefit to ex-servicemen additional to what the Department of Defence had previously arranged.