asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state if the office of public analyst in County Clare is now vacant; if he will state the terms and conditions as regards salary and appointment, fees, etc., governing this post; further, if he will state who makes the appointment, and what is the period allowed for leave of absence from this office.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Position of Public Analyst (County Clare).
The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative. The Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1875, empowers the local authority, in this instance the Clare County Council, to appoint one or more qualified persons to act as public analysts as the circumstances may require, the period of appointment to be determined by the local authority with the approval of the Minister for Local Government and Public Health. Public analysts are required under the Act:—(1) to analyse for any purchaser requiring such analysis any article of food or drug and to furnish such purchaser with a certificate of the result of the analysis; (2) to report quarterly to the local authority the number of samples analysed under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts during the foregoing quarter specifying the result of each analysis. The appointment to the office of public analyst in Clare was made by the Clare County Council, and the remuneration is on the following basis—a payment of £100 a year to cover analysis of samples up to 250; 7/6 per sample for analysis of samples in excess of 250 but not exceeding 500; 7/- per sample for analysis of samples in excess of 500 but not exceeding 1,000; and 6/- per sample for analysis of samples in excess of 1,000. As the remuneration is on a fee basis to cover professional services rendered and as the demand for such services is intermittent and may vary greatly over different periods it has been neither practicable nor necessary to fix definite leave periods for public analysts.
Would the Minister say what is the total salary paid for all these things as a rule?
That is not the question I have been asked.
Then you will be asked it. The Minister said that the reply to the first part of the question is in the negative—that the position is not vacant.
That is what I said.
Was the Minister not long ago asked by the county manager would he appoint a certain person? Therefore I take it is vacant.
I have only to repeat what I have already said, that the post is not vacant. No appointment is vacant in the County Clare.
Which of the two statements is true?
The Deputy had better address that question to the county manager.
In view of the most unsatisfactory answer that was ever given to a question, I am compelled to ask your permission, Sir, to raise this matter on the Adjournment.