asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state (a) the date upon which it was decided by the Government that a public relations officer should be appointed to his Department; (b) the total number of staff employed in connection with this new service; (c) whether the post and that of assistant, if any, to the public relations officer were advertised in the public Press; and (d) whether the appointment was made on the recommendation of the Civil Service Commissioners.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Posts and Telegraphs: Public Relations Officer.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if, in view of the policy outlined in the Budget speech of the Minister for Finance on 8th May, 1957, in regard to economy in the Civil Service, he will state the grounds on which it was considered necessary to appoint a public relations officer to his Department; and if he will further state (1) what additional duties have been allocated to the public relations officer which have not been adequately carried out by the existing staff to date, (2) the salary to be paid to the person appointed, (3) whether an assistant public relations officer has been appointed, and, if so, what salary he or she is paid, and (4) the total estimated cost in wages and salaries to be paid during the next financial year to the public relations officer, his assistant, if any, and necessary clerical and other staff.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 83 and 84 together.
The appointment of a public relations officer was considered necessary having regard to the wide nature of the public service provided by my Department — one of the largest organisations in the State. Up to the time of his appointment, publicity matters and public inquiries and complaints were handled sectionally. A public relations officer able to devote himself whole time to the work is clearly in a better position to co-ordinate and represent more adequately public information relating to the various aspects of the Department's activities in addition to those relating to Radio Éireann.
The answers to the Deputy's further questions are:—
No additional duties, beyond those arising out of public relations work, which were previously dealt with sectionally, have been allocated to the new officer.
The salary to be paid to the officer is £1,613 per annum rising by annual increments of £47 to £1,807 (inclusive).
No assistant to the public relations officer or other staff has been appointed.
The total estimated cost of salary for the next financial year is £1,662.
The proposal to appoint a public relations officer was dealt with in the normal way between the Department of Posts and Telegraphs and the Department of Finance.
Sanction for the creation of the post and the appointment of an officer to fill it was given by the latter Department on 2nd September.
The appointment was made by transfer of an existing civil servant and it was not, therefore, necessary to advertise the post. The officer was accepted by the Civil Service Commissioners as qualified for the appointment.
Would the Minister explain how it is that it was not found necessary, up to the present, to make such an appointment? It must be an appointment of a very responsible nature seeing that £1,600 is the salary that has been assigned. How is it that, at a time when the Government are advocating a tightening of belts to the public, it was found necessary to set up a new job in the Department of Posts and Telegraphs when the work, up to that, had been satisfactorily and well done?
The Taoiseach had to do that for his friend.
Is the Minister in a position to state how many extra jobs were created in his Department in the period 1948 to 1951 when Deputy Dr. Browne was Minister for Health?
Is it not a fact that the sole reason for this appointment was in order to place the unfortunate man who had to be shifted so that the Taoiseach's own nominee could be put in that particular public Department?
The Deputies on my left have very fertile imaginations. They can supply reasons — much better than I can. It shows that they give a considerable amount of their time to a study of these matters — and have, I think, in the past.
What about the explanation the other day in respect of the cars?
Do you remember the name of the car?
Does Deputy Dr. Browne remember the name of the publicity officer he got in 1948?
A trained journalist.
Deputy Dr. Browne must allow the Minister to reply without interruption.
There was a job of work to be done in 1948.
There was a long-standing request from the Department of Posts and Telegraphs — as, indeed, there is from other Departments — to the Minister for Finance for a publicity officer. It was sure to be acceded to at some time. It happened to be acceded to recently. That is all.
In view of the appointment of this publicity officer, does the Minister state now that his first job in publicity was the interview in respect of which he provided the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs with the statement in regard to television which he made in the Shelbourne Hotel in which he gave information which should have been given from this House?
I think it was the same publicity officer who provided the former Taoiseach with a statement which he made in——
Does the Minister not know very well why the appointment was made? Why not be honest about it?
He has forgotten temporarily.
Will the Minister answer my supplementary question?