asked the Taoiseach if he will state whether at the date of their appointment to their present offices any, and, if so, what Ministers or Parliamentary Secretaries held whole-time pensionable posts in the service of local authorities; whether such Ministers or Parliamentary Secretaries have resigned from such posts; and if they have not resigned, what arrangements they have made to discharge the duties of these posts, and what is the statutory authority for such arrangements.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries.
One Minister—the Minister for Defence—and one Parliamentary Secretary—the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government and to the Minister for Defence—held whole-time pensionable posts in the service of local authorities at the date of their appointment to the offices mentioned above. Neither of them has resigned from the posts referred to. They applied for and, in accordance with the invariable practice of the past, have been granted special leave, without pay, from their duties with the local authorities concerned, and these duties are, during their absence, being performed by appointees on an acting or temporary basis. The grant of special leave without pay to the Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary has been authorised pursuant to the powers conferred by Section 19 (3) of the Local Government Act, 1941, and the appointments of the persons who are replacing them have been made by virtue of the general provision contained in Section 10 (1) (a) of that Act in relation to the making of appointments by local authorities.