asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he has received an application from the South Cork Boards of Public Assistance and Public Health for the sanction of conditions of employment of a permanent engineer to the boards; if he will state the date on which the application was received and the reasons for the delay in replying.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Engineer to South Cork Public Boards.
The application was received on the 15th April. The local authorities were notified on the 13th instant that the proposal to appoint an engineer at the inclusive salary specified by them was approved.
Does the Parliamentary Secretary consider it just that a period from April to the present should elapse before a reply is received to a simple letter and that it requires a question to be put down in this House to get a reply from the Department?
I do not accept the Deputy's suggestion that it required his question to elicit a reply from the Department. The approval of the salary was issued on the 13th instant. I do not think the Deputy's question could have influenced that decision or the time that it issued. The matter was not just as simple as the Deputy suggests. The former engineer had a salary of £750, and he was separately paid for capital works, hospitals, housing, etc. The salary for the new appointment will cover all such capital works—an all-in salary. A decision as to what would be a proper amount cannot be arrived at in a very short time. From 15th April to the date on which approval of the salary was issued is not an unreasonable length of time, I think, to work out a rather complicated question.
I entirely agree with the Parliamentary Secretary and want to congratulate him on being able to get the official——
I presume the Deputy rose to ask a supplementary question.
Is the Minister accepting the scale of salaries specified?
Yes.
Deputy Corry has taken on the job.