asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state whether his sanction to the appointment of Richard Philpott to the position of temporary rate collector, Kanturk District, Cork, was given with all the facts of the case before him; whether he is aware that Denis Philpott, brother of Richard Philpott, secured first place at the competitive examination held for this position, and then handed it over to Richard; and whether he will now inform the Cork County Council that he cannot sanction the appointment of Richard Philpott, who only secured sixth place in the examination.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - APPOINTMENT OF CORK RATE COLLECTOR.
The County Council, with full knowledge of all the facts, decided to appoint Mr. R. Philpott temporarily. So that no avoidable further delay should take place in completing the collection of last year's rate the proposed appointment was sanctioned for this purpose only—a stipulation being made that the position would then be advertised for filling in the ordinary way. Neither the County Council nor the Department was a party to the arrangement by which Mr. Philpott's brother deputised for him, and when the County Council knew of it they stated that unless Mr. Denis Philpott took up his duties within a week he was to consider himself suspended. The matter of filling the appointment in the ordinary way after advertisement, etc., will arise again at an early date.
Is the Minister aware that the action of his Department is going to turn competitive examinations into ridicule?
No.
It means nothing else. Is the Minister aware that the majority of these so-called temporary appointments are only camouflage in order to side-track competitive examinations for an appointment? The effect of these so-called temporary appointments is that the men appointed temporarily are afterwards sanctioned by the Department as permanent. This absolutely cuts out any hope of a poor man's son getting an appointment.
The Deputy is no doubt aware that the appointment was made temporarily in order to avoid the delay that would necessarily take place in having a permanent appointment made. It was made so that the collection of the present year's rate would not be unnecessarily delayed.
Is the Minister aware that there would have been no unnecessary delay if the gentleman who came second in the examination had been appointed? The fact that an official of the Department could come down to Cork and stand for a competitive examination for a rate collectorship, and then hand over the job to his brother, who came sixth in the examination, is disgraceful. In view of the number of these so-called temporary appointments which were afterwards made permanent in this manner within the last couple of years by the Department, I now give notice that I will raise the matter on the Motion for the Adjournment to-night.