asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the total number of applications received for temporary work in the post office services at Christmas; the number to whom employment was offered; and the number who were disappointed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Post Office Christmas Employment.
39.
The information will not be available until after Christmas. If the Deputy would repeat the question then I will be glad to give the figures.
Could I ask the Minister to indicate what information will not be available until after Christmas?
The total number of applications received for temporary work in the Post Office service, the number to whom employment was offered and the number who were disappointed.
Would the Minister agree that in answer to Question No. 24 he purported to give the number to whom employment had been offered?
In rough, I said. If I recall the question aright, I expect about 2,000 and that is about the figure. If the Deputy wants anything more precise he will have to wait until after Christmas.
The Deputy would like the same precision in the matter of those to whom employment has been offered as in the matter of those to whom employment has been refused. The Minister did not say at the time it was a rough figure.
I did. As far as I recall, I said about 2,000.
Can the Minister give me a similar figure for the number disappointed?
Obviously I cannot do that until after Christmas. My Department will employ people in proportion to the traffic and we have not yet reached Christmas and it is a bit absurd of the Deputy to expect finality on this question.
Is the Minister indicating that he only proposes employing temporary postmen at the very last moment?
Between now and Christmas additional temporary postmen may be employed and no Minister could possibly give a final answer until after Christmas. The Deputy might accept that as reasonable.
Could the Minister indicate the basis on which people are being selected for this work?
They will be selected on the same basis as that on which temporary postmen were selected in previous years.
Question No. 40.
A Cheann Comhairle——
I have given the Deputy a great deal of latitude. He is asking a series of questions.
Would the Minister accept he is being quite petulant on this question, and not alone on this question, and that he is obliged to give the information? Whether or not he is feeling choleric does not exclude him from giving information. I am concerned that there are 4,000 or 5,000 people——
The Deputy is making a statement. I am calling the next question.
Anyone would think it was Deputy Tunney's first day in the House.
Order.
I am anxious to ascertain whether or not people are being offered this employment on the basis of, say, family circumstances. Is that a consideration?
I am afraid we cannot debate this question now.
The Minister could give some information on it.
This is just a display of ignorance.
We must pass on to the next question.
I would like to ask your indulgence, a Cheann Comhairle, to refer finally to what Deputy Tunney said. If the Deputy feels I have treated him with petulance, I am very sorry, because I should be very reluctant to do that. I hope I am not offending him in any way. At the same time, when the Deputy puts down a question which, it is quite clear, cannot be answered in full at the present time and then presses that he must receive that information and other information also, it is very difficult for a Minister under questioning to provide statistics which are not available and cannot be available until a future date quite obviously.
Might I ask one final question? Is the Minister undertaking now that he proposes offering employment to applicants other than those who have already been informed?
Question No. 40 please.