asked the Minister for Defence if he will indicate (i) the number of civilian clerks at present employed by the Corps of Engineers, Collins Barracks, Cork; (ii) their names, length of service, national service qualifications and pensions, if any; (iii) present rates of pay.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Civilians Employed at Collins Barracks, Cork.
The number of clerks at present employed with the Corps of Engineers at Collins Barracks, Cork, is three. Their names, length of service, national service qualifications and pensions are as follows:—
|
Name |
Date of Employment |
Length of Service |
National Service |
Pensions |
|
John Tighe |
9th September, 1942. |
6 years, 3 months |
I.R.A. 5 years |
Military Service Pension (1934 Act) £77 10s. per annum. |
|
James Holloway |
20th November, 1948. |
3 weeks (approx.) |
I.R.A. 5 years. Army 26½ years. |
Army Pension £299 per annum. |
|
Matthew Delaney |
20th November, 1948. |
3 weeks (approx.) |
L.D.F. 3½ years |
— |
Their rates of pay are:— John Tighe, £4 7s. 8d. per week; James Holloway, £3 17s. 6d. per week; Matthew Delaney, £3 17s. 6d. per week.
Is there not a regulation that Army posts should be filled by old I.R.A. men or ex-Army men? Is it fair that people with five or six years' service should still be working at a lower rate than people who have come into the service recently and who have big Army pensions? Does the Minister think that any of the rates of pay are comparable to the rates paid in that district for any class of work?
There are four or five questions in the Deputy's supplementary. To take them in their order, as far as I can remember them, the regulation in question is that applicants will get preference for such positions provided they have Army service or service with some of the emergency forces. That regulation was, in fact, fully complied with. So far as the rates of pay are concerned——
On a point of order, when was that preference extended to members of the emergency forces, the auxiliary forces?
That is not a point of order.
Is the Deputy advocating that people who joined the L.D.F. and other emergency services should be regarded as pariah dogs for the purposes of employment?
I am not.
There is no regulation in the Department of Defence that has not been complied with there and the regulations in the Department of Defence have not been altered since I took over. With regard to the rates of pay, the rates of pay may, or may not, be adequate but the rates of pay have been lifted in the past eight months.
Would the Minister tell us what increases were given in the last eight months to the officials I have mentioned?
There was only one of the clerks mentioned who was in the employment, as the answer indicates, for the whole period of eight months. There was a percentage increase given to such workers some time during the year. I cannot convert that into pounds, shillings and pence.
Are there not two other clerks, Daniel Keane and Maurice Keane, with that service for the past five years who have got no increase?
The Deputy, apparently, did not ask the question that he intended to ask. The Deputy asked me the number of civilian clerks at present employed by the Corps of Engineers. Now I think the Deputy probably meant to ask a question with regard to temporary civilian clerks employed in Cork. I can see his mistake, but if he puts down another question, he will get an answer.
In the Corps of Engineers.
The Departmental reply passed to me is that there are only three clerks employed in the Corps of Engineers at Collins Barracks, Cork.
I have given the rates of pay, their service and their names are there.
I suggest that you should ask them again.
I suggest that the Deputy should ask me again.