asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs what are the arrangements, including salary arrangements, in relation to the secondment of officials of his Department to the posts of Secretary and Assistant Secretary of the Post Office Workers' Union; whether either has been promoted while so seconded; what pension provisions apply in cases of this kind; and whether the Union are required to recoup any portion of the pension costs to the Department.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Post Office Workers' Union Posts.
57.
The General Secretary of the Post Office Workers' Union is not a civil servant and is not seconded from my Department.
The conditions on which officials of my Department are seconded, whole time, to Staff Associations including the Post Office Workers' Union are :
(1) The officer's remuneration is paid to him by the Department and this amount with an addition of 15 per cent to cover full pension liability is refunded by the Staff Association or Union concerned. The period of secondment is reckoned as service for pension purposes.
(2) During the period of secondment the officers are subject to the regulations governing the conduct of Civil Servants, and accordingly are not free to take part in political activities.
No officer seconded to the Post Office Workers' Union has ever been promoted during his period of secondment or afterwards.
Perhaps this will allay rumours which certain people are spreading.