Departmental Staff.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 September 2004

Thursday, 30 September 2004

Questions (87, 88, 89)

Billy Timmins

Question:

88 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position in regard to a person, namely the replacement district superintendent on seed certification duties in the south east; the date this post was offered to the replacement; the date the replacement took up duty on the seed certification scheme; the date this person was appointed a district superintendent; the nature of their duties prior to appointment on seed certification duties in the south east; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22979/04]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mary Coughlan)

The replacement officer was a supervisory agricultural officer in the beef classification scheme in Slaney Meats, Bunclody. He was promoted to district superintendent on 15 January 1996 and, on promotion, his headquarters was the district livestock office in Portlaoise. However, due to the volume of work and the shortage of staff in the BCC group at that time he was not released to take up his new post. At the officer's own request he was transferred to a district superintendent post in the BCC scheme with headquarters in Kepak, Clonee on 3 September 1996 not having taken up duty in Portlaoise.

He was subsequently offered the post on seed certification in the south east in February 1997 but due to the pressure of work in the BCC scheme and the requirement to replace him on BCC duties he was not released to take up the post until 15 April 1998.

Billy Timmins

Question:

89 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position in regard to his reply to Question No. 92 of 17 June 2004; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22980/04]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mary Coughlan)

I am satisfied that the names of the union officials are correct and are as shown in the record of the initial meetings of the monitoring group. The names of the union officials would have changed during the years since the first meeting of the monitoring group in early 1998.

Billy Timmins

Question:

90 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position in regard to the status of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22981/04]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mary Coughlan)

The officer in question was promoted to supervisory agricultural officer with effect from 1 November 1996 and was assigned to the potato group with headquarters in Carlow. Under the 1/97 C& A agreement he was upgraded to district superintendent with effect from 1 November 1996. During the early part of 1997 the officer, with his union, agreed a change of headquarters from Carlow to Nenagh in consultation with personnel and line management. The effective date of the change of headquarters was 22 September 1>97.