asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state whether any appointments have recently been made as doorkeepers or patrol officers at the Dublin Broadcasting Station; and, if so, what previous service, if any, in the post office had the persons appointed; if he will state why officers with previous experience of the duties in question and who have acted satisfactorily on such duties for prolonged periods were passed over in the making of the appointments, and what special qualifications were possessed by the persons appointed which were not possessed by the officers who had acted on the duties.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Broadcasting Station Appointments.
Two such appointments have recently been made. The persons appointed had no previous post office service. In accordance with the normal procedure, nominees of the employment exchange were considered in conjunction with men already in the service in a temporary capacity. The selections were made on considerations of particular suitability for the positions, not of previous employment in the Department.
Will the Minister say on what grounds he can even pretend to justify the appointment of persons who have no previous experience in these posts in preference to persons with 15 years' temporary service in the Post Office, persons who have been employed in these posts for upwards of two years?
These appointments are made from nominations sent from the Labour Exchange. The persons are interviewed and they are judged on their suitability.
The Minister knows that these people who have no previous experience in the Post Office could not possibly be classed in the same category as people with 15 years' service. I should like to know on what grounds he can justify the appointment of persons with no previous experience in preference to people who have been there for at least 15 years.
These are not Post Office appointments in the strict sense of Post Office service. This relates to the appointment of door-keepers.
In view of the Minister's unsatisfactory answering, I propose, with the permission of the Chair, to raise this matter on the adjournment on the next day on which the House sits.