asked the Minister for Justice if he can state why the vacancy for the position of Prison Governor (Class 3) is confined to persons who are serving or have served as officers in the National Army; why senior officers in the prison service are debarred from making application for or being appointed to such positions, and whether, in the interests of efficiency, he will agree to re-advertise the position and allow experienced and senior officers in the service to be considered for appointment to such posts.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - POSITION OF PRISON GOVERNOR.
On a point of order arising out of this question, may I say that the question, as handed in by me, was addressed to the Minister for Finance. Seeing that the advertisement in connection with the position was issued by the Civil Service Commissioners and that the Minister for Finance is answerable in this House for the policy of the Civil Service Commissioners, I desire to ask is it in order for the Minister for Justice to reply to this question?
It is in order for any Minister to answer any question. No question of order arises as to what Minister shall answer. It is a matter of convenience, not of order. There is no rule of order that prevents the Minister for Justice answering or the Minister for Finance.
Is the Minister for Justice answerable in this House for the Civil Service Commissioners?
Is it not a question of practice, at any rate, that Ministers should answer questions that apply to the departments for which they are responsible?
It is a question which department is responsible for the action here.
Yes, it is a question of which department is responsible for the action. The Deputy will hear the answer and then he will take any steps necessary if he is not satisfied.
But is it in order for the Minister, with no direct responsibility for the Civil Service Commissioners, to answer a question which was addressed to the proper Minister?
The question at issue at present is the filling of a vacancy in the Department of Justice, initiated altogether by the Minister for Justice, and, in that way, I presume the Minister for Justice is interested and may answer. But no question of order arises as to what particular Minister is to answer a particular question. That is not a question of order.
It is a question of practice?
If the Deputy would prefer not to hear the answer from the Minister for Justice he can take steps by which the Minister for Finance may reply, but the Deputy cannot insist on getting an answer, now, from a particular Minister.
Is it in order for a question to be altered with consultation with the particular Deputy who put it down?
No, a question should only be altered after consultation with the Deputy, except where the alteration is of no importance. I presume it was considered that this was a question that should be addressed to the Minister for Justice. If the Deputy has any objection to the form of the question now, he need not ask it, and he can put it down again on the Paper in another form. Is the Deputy asking the question now?
Yes.
When there is a vacancy for the position of Governor of a Prison the question whether the vacancy can properly be filled by the promotion of an officer already in the Prisons Service is always considered, and such promotions have in fact taken place when the best interests of the service could thus be secured. On the present occasion existing officers were also considered, but it was decided that it would be better to get in some new material for the Governor class. The competition is limited to Army officers because it is felt that the proper material is certain to be found from that source.
May I ask the Minister if this appointment is to be made by the Civil Service Commissioners, on the recommendation of a Selection Board, why that was not indicated in the advertisement?
The appointment will be made by the Civil Service Commissioners on the recommendation of a Board.
Why was that not stated in the advertisement?
I think that it is generally known that all such appointments are thus made.
Will these officers be graduates of what was known as the knocking shop during the civil war?
I do not follow the Deputy's slang.
Will the officer accused of the shooting of Patrick Mulrennan be eligible for the vacancy?
From the point of view of efficiency and experience, will the Minister consider the advisability of appointing one of the persons at the moment detained there in the prison for the position?
Will the Minister for Justice pursue the same policy, in this particular instance, that he pursued in regard to the clerkship of the Dundalk District Court, making the appointment first and advertising afterwards?
The Deputy is entirely mistaken. I made no such appointment first. I made it as soon as the recommendation came from the Board. I never even heard the man's name before the recommendation came to me.