asked the Minister for Defence if he will have automatic promotion to the rank of commandant granted to all Army captains on completion of ten years' service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Promotions.
99.
Mr. Ryan
Automatic promotion for all Army captains to the rank of commandant is not contemplated.
Could the Minister say why it is not contemplated?
I should say that there is a general principle that in any section of the public service it is not regarded that automatic promotion works well when you come to the higher grades.
Surely in the new system of Army control and promotion which obtains in the world generally there is automatic promotion from the rank of captain? We are out of line with everybody else.
I do not think so. I think the interests of the public service generally and particularly the military service are such that automatic promotion may be most undesirable when you come to the higher ranks. You would be compelled, in fact, to promote people whose showing up to that might not justify their promotion. You would have no alternative but to promote them.
From the rank of captain to commandant is it not reasonable that, if fit, they should be promoted?
The Deputy now is taking the particular matter of promotion from captain to commandant. The general principle is that the higher grades ought not to have automatic promotion for the reason which I have stated, that you would have no choice but to promote people who may not be worthy of such promotion.
Men who have been in the Army from the Emergency to the present day surely are entitled to it?
In the debate on his Estimate, I suggested that the Minister should consider it. Perhaps he will have a look at it again?
I will have a look at it all right.
Is not the situation arising that in our international activities through the Army in the service of the United Nations we are continually finding that officers of the rank of captain in our Army are being called upon to discharge command duties which are discharged by an officer of major's rank in continental armies and the British Army and does not this, in fact, arise from the practice abroad and in Great Britain of virtually automatic promotion from this particular rank of captain to major which would correspond in our service to promotion from captain to commandant, provided the officer was suitable for continued service?
What the Deputy has said, of course, is highly complimentary to the standard which has been established in our Army.
Hear, hear. Ought not it be rewarded?
He is taking the matter in a particular context. I was dealing with these officers as compared one with the other here at home for home purposes. It is true that we did give special promotion on a temporary basis when the officers in question were of a rank lower than that of the appointments to which they were assigned. The fact that officers in other countries had higher ranks indicates that the standard in our Army must have been not less than the best in the armies of other volunteer contributors to the United Nations force but, when it comes to the question of automatic promotion here at home, it might be that the military authorities would wish to promote men who as a result of their services had proved that they were, in fact, more worthy and more likely to fill the requirements of a higher rank than those who, if this system of automatic promotion were adopted, would be entitled to it and would have to get it. The point of view was put forward to me and, as I promised Deputy MacEoin, I will have the matter examined again.
All right.