asked the Minister for Local Government whether he is aware that for the year 1922 the staff of Dundrum Criminal Lunatic Asylum did not receive the amount of annual leave to which they were ordinarily entitled as one of their conditions of service at the date of their transfer to the Free State Government; what are the intentions of the Ministry in respect to the annual leave due to them for the current year; whether the loss of annual leave is due to the fact that the positions filled by two charge attendants, who retired on pension in January and March, 1922, have not been filled, the duties attaching to them being since carried out by two ordinary attendants, without extra remuneration, and that there is in consequence a shortage of staff; further, whether he is aware that the number of patients in the Asylum is practically the same as when the two charge attendants retired, and, taking these facts into consideration, will he now take the necessary steps to have the two posts filled, and so permit of the staff receiving the annual leave to which they are entitled.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. [ORAL ANSWERS.] - DUNDRUM ASYLUM STAFF—QUESTION OF ANNUAL LEAVE.
In 1922 it was necessary to restrict the annual leave of the male attendants in the Central Asylum to fourteen days, as it was not found possible with the existing staff to grant the maximum leave of twenty-eight days. The question of adding male attendants to the staff in order that full leave may be granted is at present under the consideration of the Ministry of Finance. Two male charge attendants retired in January and February, 1922. and in accordance with a scheme of reorganisation which came into force on 1st March, 1920, and which provided for a reduction of the number of charge attendants from five to three, these posts were allowed to lapse. The ratio of attendants to patients in this asylum is high, there being now one male attendant to less than four male patients. The staff has been largely increased in recent years in order to effect a reduction in the hours of duty.