asked the Minister for Justice if he has received an application from the county registrar, Kilkenny, for an extension of the age of retirement under Section 35 (6) of the Court Officers Act, 1926, and, if so, what action he proposes to take in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Kilkenny County Registrar.
I received an application from the county registrar, Kilkenny, for an extension of his age of retirement. I have decided not to grant the application and have so informed him.
Is that not unprecedented in the history of that office of county registrar of a county? Would I be correct in stating that it is the first case in this country in which such an application where it has been recommended by the Department has been rejected?
The Deputy is misinformed. My predecessor exercised the same prerogative on two occasions.
I would like to ask the Minister was there any occasion on which an application of this kind was turned down where the Department recommended an extension should be given? I would also like to ask him if the Government is departing from the policy pursued when they were last in office, that is when they extended the term for district justices who never had such an extension before?
That is extending the question.
It is the policy I am questioning. I would like to know whether that is changed?
The Deputy may have overlooked or forgotten the fact but on at least two occasions he refused to sanction extensions. In this particular case I am satisfied that this gentleman will have a pension running into almost four figures.
As regards the two occasions mentioned, I would like to ask the Minister if it is not a fact that there were very serious reasons why on these two occasions extensions were not given. If he asks about them he will be told that there were very definite reasons indeed why neither of these people got an extension. I do not want to have it go forth that I ever, for other than very good reasons which the Department can stand over, refused an extension on any occasion.
I have received no representations from the Department recommending it. It was only granted in 1926 to enable clerks of the Crown and Peace to continue in office. This gentleman will be in receipt of a pension of almost four figures.
Having regard to the unsatisfactory nature of the Minister's reply, it is my intention, with your permission, Sir, to raise the matter on the Adjournment.
I will communicate with the Deputy in the course of the evening.