asked the Minister for Defence if he will take steps to prevent dismissal on grounds of redundancy of Old I.R.A. men employed as civilian workers with the Army Corps of Engineers, and if he will state why birth certificates are now being required by his Department from these workers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers - Old I.R.A. Dismissals.
Where it becomes necessary to terminate the services of civilian employees on the grounds of redundancy, I have ruled that those employees with the least aggregate service in a civilian capacity must be discharged first. I regret that I cannot see my way to make an exception to this rule in the case of Old I.R.A. men employed with the corps of engineers.
The retention of the services of a civilian employee beyond the age of 65 years may be authorised only in certain circumstances and in order to secure that no employee is retained in service beyond the age of 65 years without the necessary authority, all civilians, including Old I.R.A. men, approaching that age are required to submit birth certificates in proof of their ages.
Can the Minister give the House any idea as to what percentage of Old I.R.A. men is employed by the Army Corps of Engineers, and will he say if it is possible to see that that percentage is raised?
The thing is not so very simple to arrange one way or the other. A scheme has been drawn up through which there is a system of disemployment and re-employment that, I think, any just man would approve of. It leaves no discrimination to the Minister, no opportunity, say, to favour a friend or prejudice an enemy. It is an automatic kind of scheme. Within that scheme there is a certain degree of special preference left to Old I.R.A. men, namely, if there is redundancy in one of the posts of the higher wage level and the redundant person happens to be an Old I.R.A. man, he has the right to elect to fill a post at a lower wage level until there is a vacancy at the higher level. That particular privilege does not extend to any other individuals.
Does the Minister really think Deputy Con Lehane is concerned about the Old I.R.A. or any other I.R.A.?
The Minister is very definitely of the opinion that Deputy Lehane is concerned, and is not embarrassed by the flutterings of a person who has no use for an Old I.R.A. man.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, and without any reference to the Punch and Judy show from the opposite benches, I would like to ask the Minister is it possible in any way to step up this degree of preference for Old I.R.A. men?
I do not think so.