asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state, further to a reply of 11th November with regard to the nomination of persons from Killorglin employment exchange for the post of postman at Castlemaine, what post office requirements are taken into account in nominations for such posts; whether married men with children are given any preference over single men; and why a person who had previously served satisfactorily in a temporary capacity, and who is married with a large family, was not nominated for this post, while the only nominee was a single man.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Castlemaine (Kerry) Postman.
44.
I indicated in my reply of 11th November that, in connection with the Castlemaine vacancy, the local office of my Department submitted the name of the only person registered there who fulfilled all the requirements of the Post Office authorities. I have nothing to add to that reply.
Would the Minister state how long this person was signing at the exchange?
I do not know. The Deputy did not ask me that.
I am asking by way of supplementary question how long this person was signing at the exchange.
I do not know how long he was signing but I know that he was the only person registered at the exchange who fulfilled all the requirements.
Is it not a fact that this person, a single man, was brought back from England and is now replacing a married man with six children who has been acting there for the past six or seven years?
I do not know anything about that.
The Minister should make inquiries.
This has nothing whatever to do with my Department. The only man who was registered at the exchange——
For how long was he registered?
That does not enter into it.
The Minister does not know how long he was registered?
I do not know. I can only deal with people who are registered at the exchange.
He had signed one day and was not in receipt of unemployment assistance. He was brought back especially from England, by telegram.
There was a vacancy at Castlemaine post office, and I sent forward the only man——
He was registered one day at the labour exchange. What was wrong with the man who was acting there for six or seven years?
I do not know, nor do I care.
The Minister should make inquiries.
It has nothing to do with me to inquire. It is not a question for the Department of Social Welfare in dealing with the labour exchange. There was one man registered at the labour exchange and his name was sent forward.
The Minister's Department sent a request down to nominate this man and nobody else.
My Department sent forward the only man registered at the exchange who fulfilled the requirements.
Did the Minister's Department send down a special request to nominate this individual, a single man, who was over in England at the time?
I have stated there was only one man registered at the exchange who fulfilled the requirements. I have been accused here of sending a telegram——
I did not say that. I asked did the Minister's Department send a request to the particular exchange to nominate this individual, who was in England at the time?
I did no such thing. There was only one man registered at the time.
(Interruptions.)