asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is satisfied that the different offices dealing with the eradication of bovine tuberculosis are sufficiently staffed to handle the very big volume of work with which they are charged; and if in view of the real urgency of the problem he will consider putting additional staff in these offices.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication: Additional Staff.
31.
The answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes". The position is kept under constant review and, wherever the volume of work increases, appropriate increases in staff are made.
I can assure the Minister that in some of the offices I know there have been delays of months in the issue of identification cards.
The Deputy must put a question. He is making a speech.
Is the Minister aware that, so far as some of these offices are concerned, people have to wait for several months for the issue of identification cards? Will he check on this matter to find out if it is true, as I say, that people have called and asked for the cards and were told they were being sent out in the post, but have not yet received them after months?
The Deputy will appreciate it would be a very foolish thing if we were to deny these offices the requisite staff having regard to the fact that we are already spending millions of pounds on the scheme. He can take my assurance, therefore, that if it comes to our knowledge that there is a shortage of staff, there will be no question of hesitancy in providing these additions as far as we can. Some additional staff is about to be added to a few of these offices.