asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state the terms of appointment of the Chief Agricultural Officer, Cork County Committee of Agriculture.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cork Chief Agricultural Officer.
29.
With the permission of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the official report copies of the official documents containing the particulars requested.
Following are the particulars:—
Office of Chief Agricultural Officer under the County Cork Committee of Agriculture.
The following particulars of the office have been furnished to the Commissioners:—
1. The appointment is a whole-time one and is pensionable subject to the provisions of the Local Government (Superannuation) Act, 1948, if applicable to the case, or otherwise subject to the provisions of Part IV of the Local Government Act, 1925, as amended by Section 19 of the Agriculture Act, 1931.
The appointment may be terminated by giving three months' notice in writing on either side but without prejudice to
(1) the power of the Minister for Agriculture to remove an officer of a Committee of Agriculture summarily, under the provisions of Section 10 of the Agriculture (Amendment) Act, 1944;
(2) the power of a Committee of Agriculture to remove an officer of such Committee summarily, with the approval of the Minister, under the provisions of Section 22 (4) of the Agriculture Act, 1931; and
(3) the power of the Minister for Agriculture to remove an officer of a Committee of Agriculture under the provisions of Section 23 of the Agriculture Act, 1931, either upon giving a fortnight's notice as provided for in sub-section (2) of that section or, as the case may be, summarily upon the completion of the holding of a local inquiry as provided for in that section.
The person appointed shall not in any event continue in office after he reaches the age of 65 years.
2. Under Clause 1 of the Department's Scheme of Instruction in Agriculture the Minister for Agriculture has prescribed that no person shall be eligible to obtain or retain the post of Instructor in Agriculture under this Scheme in a county in which he or any member of his family with whom he resides is engaged directly or indirectly in trade of any kind; nor shall any person be eligible to obtain such post in the county of which he is a native or in which he resides permanently. This requirement also applies to the post of Chief Agricultural Officer save that a person who holds the post of Instructor in Agriculture in a county is not, merely by reason of his holding such post, regarded for the purpose of this requirement as "permanently resident" in such county.
3. Scale of Salary: The scale of salary as prescribed by the Committees of Agriculture (Salaries of Officers) Regulations, 1949, is £520—£16. 10.— £619 — £17 — £738 — £25 — £885 per annum. The award of increments shall be in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations. Subject to the provisions of paragraph 3 of the Schedule to the Committees of Agriculture (Salaries of Officers) Regulations, 1949, the person appointed may be allowed to enter the appropriate salary scale as specified above at an incremental point higher than the minimum. Where an Instructor in Agriculture is appointed to be a Chief Agricultural Officer he may be allowed to enter the appropriate salary scale as specified above at a point not more than £165 higher than that which he had reached as an Instructor in Agriculture.
4. Maintenance Allowance: Maintenance allowance in respect of the cost of subsistence and hotel expenses incurred when travelling within the county on the business of the Committee will be paid in accordance with the regulations of the Minister for Agriculture. At present the maintenance allowance is at the rate of £50 per annum, but is subject to modification at any time, by regulations which may be made by the Minister for Agriculture pursuant to Section 28 of the Agriculture Act, 1931.
5. Locomotion Expenses: In addition to salary, Chief Agricultural Officers shall be entitled, in accordance with the regulations of the Minister for Agriculture, to the refund within the limits of the amount allocated for the purpose of the Committee, of locomotion expenses necessarily incurred by them while travelling in the county in the course of their duties including:—
(a) actual railway fare, provided it does not exceed the rate (class) approved by the Committee and the Minister for Agriculture, or actual omnibus fare expended;
(b) mileage allowances at the rates prescribed from time to time by the Minister for Agriculture in respect of the use by Chief Agricultural Officers of their own pedal cycles, motor cycles, motor cars, horse-drawn vehicles, saddle horses or saddle ponies;
(c) car hire where justified by special circumstances and subject to such directions as may be given by the Committee to the Chief Agricultural Officer in connection with arrangements for the hiring of conveyances.
6. Duties: The duties of the post are as set out in the attached memorandum.
7. Annual Vacation: The annual vacation and other leave of absence, including leave of absence on account of illness, which may be granted to a Chief Agricultural Officer shall be in accordance with such Regulations as may be made by the Minister for Agriculture from time to time.
8. If the successful candidate does not possess a competent knowledge of spoken Irish he will be appointed on probation for two years during which period he will be required to obtain the necessary proficiency in Irish.
9. The terms and conditions of appointment of Chief Agricultural Officers are subject to revision from time to time by the Minister for Agriculture.
County Cork Committee of Agriculture.
Duties of Chief Agricultural Officer.
The Chief Agricultural Officer will be required to give his whole time to the duties of the post and in pursuance thereof:
(a) To act as Secretary and Accountant to the Committee and to carry out the duties of Instructor in Agriculture.
(b) To convene and attend meetings of the Committee, record the proceedings thereat, and supply copies of the minutes and financial minutes to the Department of Agriculture within seven days after such meetings.
(c) To perform all duties as Secretary, Accountant and Instructor that may be required of him under, and to comply with, the terms of the Agricultural and Live Stock Schemes and any other relevant Schemes, for the time being approved, and to observe such regulations in connection therewith as may from time to time be prescribed by the Minister for Agriculture.
(d) To furnish such returns, claims, reports, etc., and carry out such administrative details in connection with the various approved Schemes in the County as may be required by the Committee or the Minister.
(e) To keep a special inventory or stockbook of all equipment used in connection with the various approved Schemes.
(f) To do such work as may be required in connection with the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs Act, the Agricultural Seeds Act, 1935, the Destructive Insects and Pests Acts, the Bee Pests Prevention (Ireland) Act and other statutes as may be required by the Minister for Agriculture.
(g) To make himself thoroughly familiar with the requirements of the County in relation to the work of the Committee and to take a leading part in promoting the interests and success of the various approved Schemes in the County.
(h) To be responsible for, and to devote his attention largely to, the organisation, discipline, equipment and educational efficiency of the courses of instruction—classes, lectures, meetings, etc., provided by the Committee under or in connection with the approved County Schemes.
(i) To ensure that the time of the subordinate staff in the employment of the Committee is fully and usefully occupied, that their duties are efficiently discharged, and that their visits to the various districts in the County are arranged with due regard to economy in travelling expenses, and to examine and take appropriate action on their reports and weekly diaries.
(j) To undertake no duties other than these appertaining to his office without having previously obtained the express sanction of the Committee and the Minister for Agriculture and in no case to act as Secretary to any local or County Agricultural Show or other Society.