asked the Minister for Justice if he will state (1) whether as a result of discussions with the Department of Finance there is now any hope for better terms for Circuit Court staffs or whether, and, if so, when he intends to implement the reorganisation scheme for the establishment of temporary Circuit Court clerks; (2) what are the present rates of pay for temporary clerks in Circuit Court offices throughout the Twenty-Six Counties, and (3) whether any increases have been given to certain of those clerks, and, if so, where, and on what grounds, and why all temporary clerks were not included.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Circuit Court Staffs.
The Government have approved of a scheme for the establishment of temporary Circuit Court officers. I am arranging to have this scheme put into effect with all possible speed. If, as I hope and expect, most of the officers in question succeed in securing establishment, there will be in nearly every case an appreciable improvement at once in remuneration, apart from the other advantages that establishment will confer.
The answers to parts (2) and (3) of the question are given in a separate statement, which I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have circulated with the Official Report.
Pay of temporary clerks in Circuit Court offices:—(a) 40 officers are paid fixed salaries of varying amounts, the bulk of them ranging from £5 to £6 17s. 0d. per week; (b) 35 officers are paid the minimum of the appropriate scale for temporary clerks or temporary typists, as the case may be; (c) 17 officers are on the appropriate scale for temporary clerks or temporary typists, as the case may be; (d) one officer is on the scale of a senior clerk in the Dublin office.
Increases in pay granted to certain temporary Circuit Court officers during the last two years:—(a) In two instances (one in Roscommon and one in Galway) salaries were increased consequent on the two officers in question being required to take on fresh duties; (b) in the case of the County Kildare office, small increases were granted in order to bring the remuneration of the temporary officers more into line with the remuneration in comparable offices; (c) in the case of the County Limerick office, small increases were sanctioned for four temporary officers consequent on a rearrangement of the duties which followed on the retrenchment of a post in that office.
[N.B.—All the temporary Circuit Court officers received the appropriate increases in remuneration in 1948 in accordance with the upward revision, which took place at that time, of the remuneration of civil servants generally.]
Will the Minister say when Deputy Killilea became interested in this?
What business is it of the Deputy's?
Before the Deputy came in here.
Will the Minister say if the proposed scheme covers the question of District Court clerks? May I remind the Minister that he gave a firm assurance to this House that proposals in connection with District Court clerks would be introduced at the earliest date possible? The Minister has not so far carried out his obligation.
District Court clerks are not in question.
May I point out that in previous replies in connection with Circuit Court clerks District Court clerks were linked very closely?
They are not in this question.
Can the Minister say if the new scheme provides a minimum period of service which the temporary clerk must have before qualifying for establishment, and will that minimum period apply to clerks who do not immediately qualify?
I suggest the Deputy should wait until he sees the statement I have issued.