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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 Dec 1949

Vol. 118 No. 14

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Roscommon Midwifery Post.

asked the Minister for Health whether he is aware that a vacancy for a midwife in County Roscommon was not advertised in the local Press as is customary, and that, as a result, two potential candidates did not get an opportunity of applying and whether, in view of this, and of the fact that only one application was received for the position, the position will now be declared vacant and readvertised in the local Press.

I understand that the vacancy referred to by the Deputy is that for a midwife in the Aughrim dispensary district. For an appointment of this nature, Article 26 of the Local Government (Officers) Regulations, 1943, provides that an advertisement shall be published in at least one newspaper circulating in the functional area of the local authority stating that the appointment is to be made, inviting applications from persons desirous of being appointed, stating how such persons can obtain full particulars and specifying a date not less than ten days after such publication before which such application must be received.

I have been informed that advertisements for this post appeared in the Irish Independent and the Irish Press on the 29th July, 1949, setting out the particulars required under the article to which I have referred and since the terms of the article have been complied with, I have no power to declare the position vacant and require the vacancy to be readvertised in the local Press.

I consider it desirable that vacancies of this kind should be advertised in the local Press. I have been informed, however, by the local authority that as the Aughrim dispensary district is situated on the border between the Counties Leitrim and Roscommon and as the previous appointee acted under the control of both local authorities it was considered more feasible to advertise the vacancy in the daily Press. It was felt that one or other of the two papers in which the advertisement appeared would reach practically every home in the area.

I hope the Minister is not so foolish as to believe a report stating that the advertisement did not appear in the local paper for the simple reason that the local paper had not a circulation in the area concerned. The local paper had an adequate circulation in the area concerned.

I do not think I said the local paper had not a circulation in the area. I said that I have been informed by the local authority that as the Aughrim dispensary district is situated on the border between the Counties Leitrim and Roscommon and, as the previous appointee acted under the control of both local authorities, it was considered more feasible to advertise the vacancy in the daily Press. I did not say it was due to lack of circulation.

Can the Minister say that for previous appointments to the same position advertisements inviting applications were published in the local Press?

As I have already pointed out, I favour the view that these appointments should be published in the local Press as a general rule. I understand that is the general practice. In this case the local authority said they considered it more desirable to publish the advertisements in the national daily papers, the Irish Press and the Irish Independent.

Might I ask why there was a departure from the usual practice in this particular case? Can the Minister give me any reason why the usual practice was not pursued in this particular case?

I can give no reason beyond the one I have already supplied.

Does the Minister not think there is any irregularity about the appointment?

I do not think so. The Local Government Regulations Act of 1943 was complied with. I think the local authority did comply with the measure of the law in this case.

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