asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that the Employment Exchange at Kinsale has been closed down for almost six months in consequence of the resignation of the manager, with the resulting inconvenience and delay to the large numbers of men on the register; if he is further aware that an examination to fill the post was held over four months ago, and if he will state the result, and take steps to expedite the re-opening of the office.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Kinsale Employment Exchange.
When the last branch manager at Kinsale gave notice of his intention to resign from the service, an effort was made by the Department to find a successor. The candidate who was selected as suitable for the post, however, withdrew his application, and as none of the other candidates at the time was considered suitable, the office was temporarily closed and the work transferred to the Employment Exchange at Cork.
Another effort will probably be made at an early date to find a suitable branch manager.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary prepared to state the reasons why none of the other candidates were found to be suitable?
They had not the necessary qualifications to fill the post.
I have in mind one candidate to whom the Parliamentary Secretary obviously refers as one who was not suitable for the post, and, according to the qualifications and the necessary knowledge desired in the candidates for this post, he certainly could fill the position. Will the Parliamentary Secretary state why the result of the examination was not circulated to the local Council which made the request to him in the matter, and will he give any undertaking as to when this position will be filled, as the delay in filling it is causing considerable inconvenience?
The question of advertising the vacancy and filling the office is under consideration, and probably at an early date there will be an advertisement issued.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary state when that "early date" will materialise? Six months have elapsed since the vacancy arose and nothing has been done to fill it.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary consider that the most suitable way of filling this post would be to offer a decent salary for the work to be done, and does he consider that £20 or £30 a year is a suitable salary?
On the question of an early date, I may say that my idea of an early date would be round about April.