With your permission, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 129 together.
The officer referred to in the questions was selected for promotion on the grounds that he was not only qualified but the best qualified of all the eligible officers serving in the Department for promotion to the higher post.
The officer concerned was No. 10 on the seniority list of officers of his grade. Experience, as reflected by seniority, is, however, only one of the factors taken into account in assessing qualifications for promotion. The fact that the officer in question had served as Private Secretary to the Minister for Defence did not influence his selection for promotion. Representations regarding this promotion were made to me by the Civil Service Executive and Higher Officers' Association. I have declined to receive a deputation from the association on the matter. As the normal practice governing promotion has been followed in this case, no useful purpose would be served by discussing the matter with representatives of the association.
Deputy Desmond's question refers to an article which appeared in the January, 1970Civil Service Review. That article included, in addition to offensive references to politicians, the statement that “one of those passed over has been performing APO duties in Finance for almost two years”. I would like to point out that at the time the Finance assignment arose the officer who is the subject of these questions was Private Secretary to the Minister and was in receipt of an allowance of £149 a year. The Finance assignment was expressed to be for less than a year and to carry a gratuity at the rate of £150 a year.
