asked the Minister for the Public Service why an 18 years old girl (name supplied) in County Galway who was successful in her examination for the post of shorthand typist in the Civil Service was subsequently told, following medical examination, that she was overweight and would be recalled for further examination after six months.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Civil Service Shorthand Examination.
26.
Section 17 of the Civil Service Commissioners Acts, 1956, empowers the commissioners to accept a person as qualified for appointment to a position for which a competition is held if, but only if, the commissioners are satisfied, inter alia, that he or she is in good health and free from any physical defect or disease which would be likely to interfere with the proper discharge of his or her duties in that position.
In the case of the candidate in question the medical advice received by the commissioners was that she was overweight and that she should be informed that she was considered to be overweight and should present herself for further medical examination after six months, to give her an opportunity to reduce her weight. The commissioners decided to accept this advice.