Vol. 226 No. 2
I move:
That a sum not exceeding £47,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1967, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Civil Service Commission and of the Local Appointments Commission.
I should like to ask the Minister, in relation to the Local Appointments Commission, is he satisfied with the method of dealing with vacancies in the authority service? Is he satisfied that the Local Appointments Commission act sufficiently expeditiously? There are occasions when vacancies in the local authority service are notified and there appears to be an extraordinary delay before the Commission arrange for going through the procedure of advertising the vacancies, interviewing the candidates and making recommendations. I wonder would the Minister have this matter examined in respect of circumstances where the continuing vacancy in a position can create a certain amount of dissatisfaction and delay in local authorities having their various schemes handled properly?
For instance, there was an appointment notified some time ago by Dublin Corporation to the position of Deputy City Architect. It was a considerable time ago and I do not know, as yet— we have not been notified—what is the position. Certainly there appears to have been some delay in dealing with the matter and, at this stage, we have not yet been advised as to whether the interview has been held or any recommendation made. I do not know whether this arises because the machinery itself is slow, too deliberate, whether there are some shortages of staff or something else, or whether it arises as a result of a deliberate policy. Perhaps the Minister could give us some information on this matter?
I have not myself, nor am I aware that my predecessor in office received any particular or general complaint about this matter; but I am aware, from the point of view of members of local authorities, that from time to time there would seem to be considerable delays in the filling of appointments. I am quite certain part of that delay is probably unavoidable for a variety of reasons, but this is something to which I think we might turn our attention and see whether it would be possible to expedite the filling of vacancies by local authorities, as it is a source of worry, I am sure, to members of local authorities when posts are left vacant for fairly long periods of time.
Of course, in this connection, we should keep in mind the necessity for economy. I could well understand the proper administration of either of the two Commissions would dictate that they should arrange, as it were, a composite competition and not just advertise for every single vacancy that arises. It might be a matter of good administration to wait, perhaps, until five, six or seven appointments had accumulated before proceeding to fill them. However, I think it is something which might be looked into.
How frequently are the panels of examiners changed?
I am sure that varies from case to case. In some aspects of the activities, I think fresh panels——
——are appointed in each case.
Yes.
