asked the Minister for Finance the reasons why, in cases where there are vacancies for paperkeepers in Government Departments, these posts are not being filled, but the duties are being assigned on a temporary basis to messengers who are paid a gratuity of £2 per month; and if he will take immediate steps to put an end to this undesirable practice, and ensure that in the future these posts will be filled by the normal promotion processes, and full paperkeeper's wages paid to persons who do paperkeeper's work.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Filling of Paperkeeper Posts.
10.
Messengers are being assigned temporarily to paperkeeper duties pending the availability of further paperkeepers from a confined competition. Preparations for the competition are well in hands and it will be held early in the new year.
Regarding the future, I cannot guarantee that a time-lag will not again occur between the exhaustion of the list of those who qualify at one competition and the holding of the next competition. During this period it may be necessary temporarily to fill paperkeeper vacancies which arise by the assignment of messengers.