asked the Minister for Lands why Mr. James Gallagher was dismissed at Scotstown Forest, County Monaghan, while men who had much shorter service in forestry were retained.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dismissal of Forester.
33.
Shortage of work a the property concerned made a staff reduction necessary at Scotstown Forest last March. It would not be in the public interest to discuss in detail in the House the merits or demerits of an individual case by other factors besides seniority must be taken into account in selecting men for retention.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that this man was perhaps the person longest employed in the forest; that he is the only support of his aged father; that he has no property of any kind; that people who were retained in the forest, with shorter service, have land and that they can work that land at present while he is idle? Is the Parliamentary Secretary further aware that the only reason why this man was dismissed was that he was a trade union card steward? Will the Parliamentary Secretary take up that matter with the head forester?
The only matter that arose was his effectiveness as a forester.