asked the Minister for Defence whether it is proposed to promote officers of the Reserve who held commissioned rank during the Emergency and in the regular Army, and who were senior in service to officers who gave service during the Emergency, but had no regular Army service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Promotion of Reserve Officers.
18.
Defence Force Regulations governing promotion in the Reserve of Officers (First Line) provide for promotion, subject to the fulfilment of certain conditions, from the rank of second-lieutenant to lieutenant and lieutenant to captain. For promotion from lieutenant to captain, the conditions include a minimum period of full-time service during the Emergency. Once the conditions are fulfilled, promotion is effected and no question of seniority arises.
Is the Minister aware of the case of at least one officer who served in a commissioned rank in the Army during the Emergency and who then applied for admission to the Regular Army where he served as an officer for six years? He was then posted, at his request and by agreement with the Army authorities, to the Reserve of Officers. He still holds the rank of the lieutenant, although he served six years in the Regular Army and has a substantially longer period of service in the Regular Army than many of those who were promoted over him and who did not serve in the Regular Army at all. Is the Minister aware that this officer was initially informed in July of last year that it was anticipated that promotion proposals which were then before the Department of Finance would, when sanctioned, result in his promotion. He has since heard nothing about the matter.
The matter of improving the promotion arrangements in the Reserve is under consideration. No final result has yet been achieved. I cannot give, by way of supplementary answer, a satisfactory reply to the Deputy. I would refer him to paragraph 6 of Rialacháin Óglaigh na hÉireann R.1., which he will get in the Library. He will get full information there regarding the conditions governing promotions in the Reserve.
What date?
I have not got the date of the regulation. I am sure the Deputy will be able to locate Rialacháin Óglaigh na hÉireann R.1., paragraph 6, where he will get all the information he requires.
This officer was informed on 3rd July, 1962, by the Department—I assume the regulations were issued before then—in the following terms: "I tell you that officers with your service qualify immediately under this scheme."—that is, qualify for promotion immediately under the scheme. That was a promise made in July, 1962, apparently on the authority of the Chief of Staff. I take it the Department of Defence will honour this, particularly as this officer has emergency service for more than three years and Regular Army service for six years which is service which is not held by others who are on the Reserve of Officers.
I suggest the Deputy should give me, by letter, particulars of the case he has in mind. I could not possibly delay the Dáil by reading out to him the full provisions of the regulations here. They are extensive. In case he likes to consult the Library, I have given him the particulars.
This officer joined the Army and interrupted a civilian career during the Emergency and then volunteered to remain in the Army for a period of six years. Unless he is promoted to the rank of captain before September next, he will be automatically discharged from the Reserve, because he will have reached the retirement age holding the rank of lieutenant. If I furnish the information to him, will the Minister undertake to examine the matter sympathetically, and in the light of the promise made to this officer in this official letter of July, 1962?
I take it the Deputy is asking to have the regulations amended?
I am merely asking at this stage that someone will honour the promise made in this official letter.
I understand that the Deputy is making the ease that the regulations, as they exist, apply to his circumstances. I am not so sure from what the Deputy says that that is so. If he writes to me, we will be able to establish that.
Whoever wrote this letter presumably had the authority to see that the promise would be kept—"I tell you that officers with your service qualify immediately under this scheme."
Surely the Deputy knows that promotion has to be made from second lieutenant to lieutenant and from lieutenant to captain. It is practically an automatic happening, provided the conditions laid down in the regulations are fulfilled.
In this case, the officer has three years regular Army service, not three years emergency service.
If he complies with the regulations, I do not see any difficulty in his getting the promotion.
I will send the correspondence to the Minister.