asked the Minister for Defence if he will consider amending the Defence Force Regulations (Promotions and Reversions) so as to provide that each year's service on the Reserve (First Line) will be regarded as a qualifying year for promotion purposes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - First Line Reserve Promotions.
36.
If the Deputy is referring to the promotion of officers of the Reserve of Officers—First Line from second lieutenant to lieutenant I do not propose to amend the existing provisions of the regulations. If he has in mind the question of promotion beyond the rank of lieutenant I would refer him to the reply given by me on the 25th February to parliamentary questions on this subject.
May I point out that my question relates to promotion from lieutenant to captain? Is the Minister aware of the position at the moment that officers who served wholetime during the emergency as lieutenants are still carrying the same rank of lieutenant, while men in the F.C.A. with no full time service can be, and are, promoted to positions as captains in the Defence Forces? In view of the rather embarrassing and unfair position, in which these lieutenants on the reserve find themselves in to-day, would the Minister agree that the suggestion I make in this question would solve the problem, and would allow the Minister to give satisfaction to the number of officers who have been lieutenants on the reserve for such a long time?
Of course, the Deputy's question could not be taken as referring to promotion from lieutenant to captain. The question as framed could only be taken as referring to promotion from second lieutenant to lieutenant. However, I did guess that the Deputy had in mind promotion from lieutenant to captain, and I have nothing to add to what I said on 25th February with regard to that subject. Officers of the F.C.A. who are promoted from lieutenant to captain are, of course, promoted to fulfil vacancies in that force.
Would the Minister agree that there is automatic promotion available in the regular force— that after a number of years' service a lieutenant is automatically promoted to captain unless there is a grave charge against him as to character or discipline?
But that is in the regular services. This is in the reserve and it is a different question altogether.
Does the Minister not agree that officers who served for many years during the emergency, and who are now in civilian life, find, when called up on training, that they are still lieutenants, while men who may be many years their juniors are their seniors in rank? Does the Minister consider it fair to the small numbers concerned, who gave their services during the emergency, that they are treated in that fashion?