asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the circumstances under which an appointment to the post of permanent postman at Geevagh post office, County Sligo, was given to a substantial farmer with one child, in preference to the temporary postman who had previously been selected from a number of candidates, and who is living in a labourer's cottage, is the sole support of a wife and five young children, and is now faced with emigration.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Appointment of County Sligo Postman.
54.
The vacancy for an auxiliary postman at Geevagh, County Sligo, was filled in the usual way from a list of employment exchange nominees and the man selected was the most suitable qualified person.
It would be contrary to practice to furnish any information regarding the claims or qualifications of applicants as this would entail disclosing information obtained in confidence concerning these persons.
Is it not a fact that the individual who held the post in a temporary capacity was considered highly suited to hold it in that capacity? Would the Minister indicate why a man, who, although he may not be officially the owner of a substantial farm, is next in line for it, should get priority over a man living in a cottage with a large family who was found satisfactory and competent to carry out the duties in a temporary capacity?
Whenever a vacancy of this nature occurs, the local head postmaster takes on a person to fill the vacancy in a purely temporary capacity.
Out of a number of applicants.
Ten names were submitted to me from the employment exchange. One person out of the ten did not possess or had not the use of land. That one is not one of the two mentioned here. It is my function, as Minister, to appoint auxiliary postmen. In exercise of that function, I appointed this person as auxiliary postman.
Is the Minister aware that the man appointed actually has a farm and is a Fianna Fáil councillor's son?
Is that a disqualification?
That would not preclude him from appointment. The fact that he is a county councillor's son does not disqualify him. I am precluded from giving the domestic circumstances of each of the applicants. I am telling the House that in exercise of my function as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, I appointed the person I considered the most suitable for this job.
Is it not a fact that the man who was found competent to act in a temporary capacity has a wife and five young children and lives in a labourer's cottage? Yet, when the permanent post came up, the man appointed is, I agree, a married man with one child, but he is also heir to a substantial farm and, if it is any help to him, his father is a Fianna Fáil county councillor.
He does own a small farm, but still his name was sent from the employment exchange.
The little chat that takes place in the Minister's room is the one that counts.
No one asked me to appoint him.
I do not believe in entering into acrimonious arguments at all, but this is in my area and I know the two people concerned. I would ask the Minister if the regulations in his Department covering the appointment of auxiliary postmen have any significance whatever?
I am charged with the responsibility of making these appointments and seeing to it that an efficient and effective postal service is given to the people. In exercise of those functions, I make the appointments. I do not believe in leaving the appointment to the headpostmaster or officials of my Department. Day after day I hear Opposition Deputies complaining about Ministers who they think are not discharging the functions of their office.
Would the Minister state how far from the post office this man who has been appointed lives, and how far from the post office the man who held the temporary post lives?
The regulations say that the person appointed must live within three miles of the office. I have no information or evidence on that matter on this file, and neither was such evidence produced before me. I assumed that the person concerned lives within the distance.
That is not correct.
Is it not true that this man came home from England only recently to secure this appointment?
He is a returned emigrant. I do not know when he came home.
That does not debar him.
The man with the five children will have to go to England now.
What about the other eight in the same locality?
The former Taoiseach promised he would bring back the emigrants. This is the first one brought back.
And you are grumbling.