asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is awarethat as part of the policy of the E.S.B. existing collectors in rural areas are being dispensed with and new appointments are being made for the purpose of reading meters; and if he will explain why temporary officials are not being selected for such positions particularly when they have pre-Truce I.R.A. and National Army service.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - E.S.B. Meter Readers.
The arrangements made by the E.S.B. for the collection of accounts and the reading of meters are matters solely for the board and I have no function in relation to them.
Would the Minister not look into the matter? In one case in Kildare a man who has pre-Truce I.R.A. and National Army service has been displaced by a young fellow who could quite easily have got employment elsewhere.
While making it clear that I have no function in the matter, I can tell the Deputy there has been no change made by the E.S.B. in their arrangements for reading the meters and collection of accounts in recent years and no temporary staff is employed.
The information given to the Minister is incorrect. If the Minister inquires into a case in Ballymore Eustace he will find a temporary employee has been let go within the last three months and another person has been newly engaged to take his place.
While I have no official function in the matter and would re gard it as improper for me to interfere in the administrative arrangements of the E.S.B., I would tell the Deputy that my information is that there has been no alteration in the arrangements of the board. This work does not demand the employment of any temporary staff.
If I send the letters I received from the board, will the Minister look into it?
Send them to the board.
I have and that is the answer I got. It is outrageous and the Minister is shielding behind someone.
I have no further information.
There is a pal somewhere.