asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that under Section 47 of the Transport Act, 1944, all appointments to the clerical grades of Córas Iompair Éireann are required to be made by open competitive examination; whether, in fact, any examination has been held by the company for the purpose of filling vacancies in the clerical grades of their staff; whether he is further aware that the company has recruited more than 60 male clerks without any examination; and if he has been advised of the failure of the company to observe its statutory obligations in this connection; if so, whether he will state what steps he proposes taking to ensure that staff appointments are made in accordance with the Act.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - C.I.E. Clerical Grades.
I am advised that Córas Iompair Éireann has taken on a number of temporary clerks. The company intends to hold a competitive examination for the purpose of filling vacancies on the permanent staff when agreement as to the conditions of the examination has been reached with the unions concerned.
Will the Minister say what is the method adopted for recruiting temporary clerical staff?
Substantially, consultation with the local Fianna Fáil Cumann, in certain parts of the country at any rate.
Will the Minister say?
I am not aware.
Will the Minister say whether any negotiations with the unions concerned have yet been initiated by the railway company?
I could not answer that question either. The Deputy is aware that there are two separate agreements with two unions covering clerks in the employment of this company in consequence of the amalgamation and presumably that position has to be rectified by some comprehensive agreement before competitive examinations can be undertaken.
Surely the Minister can say whether temporary clerical staff is recruited through the labour exchange as in other State subsidised concerns.
Will the Deputy give me notice of that question?
If the Deputy will ask the Minister for Justice, he will be told what is the practice in Roscommon.
The Deputy talks more nonsense——
He has a very shrewd notion.
May I be permitted to ask a supplementary question? Bearing in mind the provision of the statute in this matter, will the Minister use his good offices to endeavour to have an examination held at the earliest possible date and thus put an end to the practice of recruiting temporaries which, as the Minister realises, is open to the possibility of grave abuses?
The present circumstances in relation to the company's clerical staff are abnormal and arise entirely out of the amalgamation and until the position resulting from amalgamation in the matter of conditions of employment of clerks has been rectified the Deputy will appreciate that there is obvious difficulty in prescribing conditions of service that would apply to clerks recruited on a permanent basis.
Will this abnormal situation be brought to an end as soon as possible?
So far as I know, it is the desire of the company's management to end it.
That is not clear to anybody, except perhaps the Minister. Will he, therefore, exercise his good offices in endeavouring to regularise the position as soon as possible?
In so far as there are negotiations with the trade unions concerned in the matter, I prefer to keep out of it.
The Minister, a few moments ago, said he did not know whether there were any negotiations or not.
I am aware that it is the intention to end it, but as to whether there are any negotiations in progress at the moment or not I could not say.