asked the Minister for Defence if he will state whether he has now further considered the very unsatisfactory position in regard to civilians attached to technical corps of the Defence Forces referred to by him at column 598, Volume 120, of the Official Report, and what he proposes to do in regard to it.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Civilians Attached to Defence Forces.
Major de Valera
The matter of the employment of civilians with the various corps and services is at present the subject of detailed examination and I can assure the Deputy that no opportunity which presents itself for reducing the number of civilians is being neglected. A scheme to remedy the position is under active consideration.
Major de Valera
The Minister gave practically the same reply on the 7th December last. Can we take it from the Minister that he is now going to do something positive about this matter? Can he say that we may expect a change in this very unsatisfactory position, as he called it himself?
I deny the Deputy's allegation that the reply given previously was practically the same. The reply given previously was to the effect that the condition was entirely unsatisfactory but that it was an inherited position which I was going to endeavour to rectify. I have established a special committee to go into the matter in detail to ascertain the maximum extent to which civilians can be replaced by soldiers. That is under way and that is the gist of the reply.
Major de Valera
The Minister on that occasion admitted or practically admitted that some corps were not mobile because of the absence of these technicians in the ranks. All I am asking now is, can he give us an assurance that some practical step will be taken to render these corps mobile?
What I stated on that occasion was that corps were, not only practically, but were, in fact, immobile because of the fact that civilians were anchored to a geographical spot, and if the unit moved, the civilians did not. That was a legacy, an evil legacy which I am trying to surmount and the practical steps which I applied were to set up a special mixed commission, composed of civilians and military, to see how best to surmount the condition.