asked the Minister for Defence what were the findings of the recent inquiry carried out in the Military Barracks, Kilkenny; and what penalties were imposed on the workers following the inquiry.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Kilkenny Inquiry.
23.
The inquiry referred to presumably relates to an investigation carried out by officers of my Department into matters concerning the civilian employees of the Department in Dún Chill Choinnigh.
As this investigation occurred in the normal administrative course I do not consider the public interest would be served by making public the terms of the report submitted by those officers to their superiors.
As to the second part of the question, in the interests of more efficient storekeeping, one employee was moved from one post to another carrying 5/-per week less in wages.
I think the Minister should give the result of that investigation to the House. The workers in Kilkenny are very disturbed at the results of it and at the penalty imposed. The Minister has mentioned one employee as being removed from the stores at a loss of 5/- a week. Is he aware that one employee lost his employment last year? Is he aware that a foreman has been asked to take up work in Naas? Is he aware that a man who was promoted storeman for one day was demoted again? Many questions have been raised and to allay the anxiety of these people in Kilkenny, the Minister should give fuller details than he has given of the findings of the inquiry carried out by the military authorities.
As I told the Deputy, the inquiry was a routine private investigation. I do not know whether I am right in interpreting the Deputy as making a request for a public sworn inquiry?
No; the Deputy is not making a request for a public sworn inquiry. The Deputy is making a request that the findings be made known of an investigation which had the effect of causing one tradesman to lose his position in the barracks, another man to be promoted by phone one day as storeman, confirmed the following day in writing and in the next couple of days, to be demoted again, another man to be let go apparently on the basis of being redundant but brought back again not to his old position but to a position as storeman. The Minister would be doing the Government a reasonable service by giving the results of the inquiry. After all, the results cannot damn anybody. They cannot damn the Minister. There is nothing political in the results—I hope not anyway.
No, there is nothing political in them, but I have stated that because of the nature of the investigation, I am not disposed to disclose the terms of the report submitted.
It is most unfair to these workers who are being sacrificed as a result of this inquiry. I would ask your permission, Sir, to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
Were these men engaged on research into atomic energy? Was it hush-hush?
They were rebuilding the barracks. That is all.
There is no hush-hush about it. This is the sort of investigation that takes place very often and the results are not made public. I do not propose to change that practice which has been followed for a long time. If Deputies want to get the results of an inquiry made public let them put down a motion for a public sworn inquiry.
I do not think there is any necessity for a sworn inquiry. The Minister should give the findings of the inquiry that was held.