asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state the dates and occasions of each of (1) the several lectures or talks delivered by, (ii) the conferences or discussions engaged in, (iii) the interviews given by, (iv) the articles or other publicity matter or statements published in the daily and weekly papers or other periodicals by the Information Officer in his Department; if he will give the subject matter of each of these and state where each of the lectures, talks, conferences or interviews took place, whether in Dublin or elsewhere, and in what papers or periodicals the articles or other published statements appeared.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Activities of Information Officer.
As regard (i) I would refer the Deputy to my reply of the 1st March, 1951, to Question No. 5.
In connection with the remainder of the question, records are not kept in such detail as would enable the information sought to be readily given, and I do not feel that the matter is of sufficient importance to justify the considerable use of official time which would be involved in its compilation.
Are we to understand, therefore, that the only record of the activities of this officer in the Department are those which he furnished in reply to Question No. 5 on the last day when I put that question to him? Accordingly, is the position this, that the officer was not doing anything in the Department and that the late secretary of the Department was quite justified in suspending him for not being on the job?
You are to understand only one thing and that is that you are being given jaundiced information by the late secretary of the Department and you are making a fool of yourself asking these questions.
You mean the Ceann Comhairle is making a fool of himself?
Thanks for the correction.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state why it was necessary for the information officer of his Department to be absent from Dublin from 16th to 18th May, 1950, in order to deliver one lecture in Longford; and if he will state further what local offices of the Department were visited on the occasion; the hours during which each such office was visited, and the purpose for which each visit was made.
As I stated in my reply to Question No. 5 on the 1st instant, the information officer was instructed by the then secretary of my Department to use the opportunity of his visit to Longford to take in typical centres in order to familiarise himself with the outdoor organisation of the Department and in particular to return by Dundalk, where a merger of the Department's local offices had been effected. In accordance with these instructions and with a further decision to utilise the journey for the additional purpose of an old age pensions survey by another officer of the Department, official visits were made to the following areas: Longford, Granard, Cavan, Bailieboro' Carrick-macross, Dundalk and Ardee.
A beautiful joy ride.
On the instructions of your friend, the late secretary, a good judge of joy rides himself.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state in what place, on what date, at what hour and under what title the information officer of his Department gave the lectures to (1) The Institute of Personnel Management, (2) Railway Clerks' Association, which were referred to by him in his reply to parliamentary question No. 5 on the 1st instant.
(1) At 3 St. Stephen's Green, N., Dublin, on the 22nd March, 1949, at 6.15 p.m., the information officer delivered a lecture on "Social Welfare" to the members of the Institute of Personnel Management, (2) At 48 Fleet Street, Dublin, on the 1st February, 1951, at 7.45 p.m., the information officer gave an explanatory talk on the provisions of the Social Welfare (Insurance) (No. 2) Bill, 1950, to the members of the Railway Clerks' Association.
Is it in consequence of the lecture which he delivered to the Railway Clerks' Association in February last that that organisation passed a resolution condemning the Minister's scheme as unsatisfactory and unfair?
No, but the meeting was comprised in the main of political ward-heelers of the Deputy's Party.
The members of the Railway Clerks' Association can put that in their pipe and smoke it.
There being 36 members present out of almost 1,000 members.
Is the Minister aware——
Question 14.
He is telling lies.
That is his vocation, Deputy.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state what local offices were visited by the information officer of his Department in the course of the survey which, in the course of his reply to Question No. 5 on 1st instant, the Minister stated the officer in question was engaged in on 13th May, 1949, and if he will give similar particulars in regard to the survey in which the officer participated on 7th-9th July, 1949.
On the 13th May, 1949, the information officer, in company with Mr. D.J. O'Donovan, then secretary of my Department, visited the employment exchanges at Dundalk and Drogheda.
On the 7th, 8th and 9th July, 1949, the information officer accompanied Mr. O'Donovan, at the latter's request, on a tour through Dundalk, Monaghan, Derry, Strabane, Lifford, Ballybofey, Ballyshannon, Belleek, Clones and Cavan. While in Ballyshannon the information officer visited and reported on the camp conditions of workers on the Erne hydro-electric scheme.