asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state why temporary clerks employed at the Dublin Employment Exchange, who have over eight years' continuous service, are not being interviewed with a view to permanent appointment.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Employment Exchange Clerks.
I presume that the Deputy has in mind the competitions for established positions confined to temporary clerks which were held some months ago, and at which the temporary clerks serving in the Dublin employment exchanges were not eligible to compete. These competitions were confined broadly to what are known as general service temporary clerks. The conditions of eligibility for the competitions were agreed by the staff side and the official side at meetings of the general council under the Civil Service Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme. I should explain that temporary clerks serving in employment exchanges are members of a departmental class which is excluded from competitions for general service temporary clerks. The Deputy may not be aware that the departmental temporary clerks to whom he refers have been afforded opportunities of obtaining established appointments through competitions confined to them.