asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state the reasons for the issue by his Department of (a) circular letter H185/H1501 of 3rd February, 1951, to local authorities and (b) circular HA 8/51, dated 7th May, 1951, to the same local authorities.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Issue of Circulars to Local Authorities.
The letter of the 3rd February, 1951, bearing the reference numbers H.185 and H.1501 was not a circular letter, but was issued to the South Cork Board of Public Assistance in response to a proposal by that board that a temporary allowance at the rate of 12½ per cent. of salaries should be granted to the superintendent assistance officers and assistance officers employed by the board. At that time the Minister considered that such officers should not be granted an increase on the revised salaries which came into operation from the 1st June, 1948, and accordingly the letter rejected the board's application.
The Minister subsequently decided that a temporary allowance of 12½ per cent. should be authorised for these officers in cases where the local authorities decided to grant it, and the circular letter No. HA.8/51 was accordingly issued on the 7th May, 1951.
Is the Minister aware that under the first letter those increases in salary were refused on 3rd February? Under the second letter they were not alone granted, but they were granted back to the previous November. That was on the 7th May, and that was three days after the dissolution of this House.
That is purely a separate question.
Is the Minister aware of the fact that an examination of this matter will show that certain local authorities throughout the country were refusing applications from home assistance officers for increased pay, that others were recommending increases of 5 to 7½ per cent., and an occasional generous local authority was recommending an increase of 10 per cent., while a whole lot recommended no increase whatever. The policy of the then Minister was——
Modest!
Now, Jack-in-the-box, you go to war with America and do not miss the train when the war is on.
It is more important not to miss the point.
This is supposed to be the nation's parliament. I will put the supplementary to the Minister again. Is the Minister aware of the facts I have mentioned and will he not acknowledge that the file shows that it was the desire of the Minister and the Department not only to give an increase in salary to home assistance officers, who are lowly paid, but to give an increase which would be uniform in its application throughout the country.
And in time for the election.
Will the Minister further acknowledge that the effect of the circular of 7th May, or whatever date it was issued, was to require local authorities to conform to a uniform payment of 12½ per cent. Increase, which I think the home assistance officers well deserved, and I am glad to have been the instigator of giving it to them.
Is the Minister not aware that the South Cork Board of Assistance approved of the granting of an increase of 12½ per cent. to these officers and that they made representations again and again to the Department with a view to getting sanction for that proposal, and that it was as a result, I take it, of these representations that this circular letter was issued to the South Cork Board of Public Assistance; and Deputy Corry and the other Fianna Fáil people associated with him on that board raised no objections whatsoever to that increase being put into operation.
My question is how a Minister, who refused to sanction an increase on 3rd February, 1951, granted that increase on 7th May, three days after the Dáil was dissolved, and gave six months' back pay to November, 1950. Ask Deputy MacBride how many members are sitting over there as a result of that?
May I ask a supplementary question?
Deputy Corry will please resume his seat. Question No. 29.
Am I not to be allowed to put my supplementary question?