asked the Minister for Health if he will state in relation to the medical dispensary districts in Ballyfermot and Drimnagh which were the subject of recent appointments by the Local Appointments Commission how long each post was held temporarily by temporary medical officers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Dispensary Appointments.
4.
Five posts are involved. All were temporary posts until November, 1957. One post was created in December, 1940, and all the remainder between 1950 and 1953. All the posts have up to now been held by temporary appointees on a six-monthly basis, in three of the five cases not by the same appointee throughout.
That seems to be a rather guarded reply to the question I asked. May I put it this way: Is it correct that some of these posts were held continuously by the appointees for as long as 14 years—in one case, 18 years? Would the Minister not agree, if those facts are correct, that it is rather strange that a dispensary doctor holding a temporary post for as long as 18 years should be held unsuitable at the end of that time to fill the post on a permanent basis and do the work he had been doing for such a long period?
The Deputy will understand that it is not for me to comment upon how the Local Appointments Commissioners discharge the responsibilities placed upon them by statute.
I am asking the Minister for an expression of opinion. Will he not agree, while accepting, on his reply to the supplementary question that it may not be in his power to intervene, that such long temporary appointments would indicate that proper service was being given by the appointees?
Arising further out of the Minister's reply, I wish to know whether more than one name was submitted to the Minister in respect of that particular appointment?
The Deputy is under a complete misapprehension. No name is submitted to the Minister, for approval or disapproval, other than the name of the person whom it is proposed to appoint, and then only to ensure that his conduct in previous public employment was satisfactory.
5.
asked the Minister for Health whether in relation to recent appointments of dispensary doctors in Ballyfermot, Drimnagh and other Dublin districts he made or declared any condition which would require the Local Appointments Commission to give preference to candidates with long temporary service in the posts being filled or to have regard to such temporary service.
I am advised that I have no power to make or declare any conditions which would require the Local Appointments Commission to give a preference, in filling any post, to a candidate who had temporary service in the post or to have regard to such temporary service. Experience gained in the post by a candidate who has held it temporarily is, however, assessed and given credit for by interview boards set up by the Local Appointments Commission to assess the merit of candidates, in the same way as any comparable experience.
Would the Minister not have power in declaring the qualifications for these posts to provide, as a qualification, that the candidate who received the permanent appointment should have had four to five years' temporary service in the Dublin dispensary service?
I am afraid I have no power to do that. I am advised I have not and, if I had the power, the exercise of it would mean that the post would be filled inevitably by the candidate who held the temporary appointment. That, of course, is quite contrary to the spirit of the Act.
The reason I raised this is that the people who have suffered are some nine dispensary doctors who have given excellent service over a long number of years. It was not their fault that these posts were not filled——
The Deputy is making a statement, not asking a question.
If a case of that kind is likely to recur, would the Minister not agree that if he has not the power now, he should seek it to ensure that such long temporary appointments will not be continued?