asked the Minister for Local Government if it is the practice in his Department when sanctioning the appointment of rate collectors to take into consideration the services rendered by the candidates in the Army or other branches of the Defence Forces and if, before giving sanction, he will direct Galway County Council to take such service into consideration in the filling of the seven vacancies which exist in that county for such posts.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Appointment of Rate Collectors.
I have no power to direct Galway County Council or any other local body to have regard to any of the considerations mentioned in the Deputy's question when appointing rate collectors.
Therefore, I take it, that service in the Army and in the Defence Forces counts as nil so far as local authority appointments are concerned?
The Deputy may take it that what I have stated is the position. I have no power to interfere with the Galway or any other county council in their right to appoint whom they may choose.
You have the power to sanction or not, have you not?
If Parliament gives that power to local authorities it would not be right or fair that it should be taken from them through the formal sanction that is required from me.
I am only asking— before you give such sanction?
I have told the Deputy that I have no power to withhold sanction on any of the grounds mentioned in the Deputy's question.
I would like to inform the Minister that of the seven Fianna Fáil rate collectors appointed, five of them have absolutely no Army record whatever, while others were turned down and that another was expelled from the Army.
It is the same all over.
I thought you had control, and the county council, in this?
No, the county manager.