asked the Minister for Justice if retired bus men from the Dublin city bus service will, in view of their substantial experience of traffic, be considered for appointment as traffic wardens.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Traffic Wardens.
24.
The traffic warden service will be an extension of the existing police machinery for enforcement of the traffic laws. It will be operated from Garda stations to which the wardens will have access and where the records will be kept and it will be directed and controlled by the Garda authorities. Part of a warden's duties will be the giving of evidence in cases which go to court.
A good deal of thought has been given to the manning of this new service and it has been considered that in the interests of efficiency and integrity the most suitable personnel to operate a "fines-on-the-spot" system would be found amongst members of the Force who have retired on pension after long service.
Am I to understand from the Minister's reply that the Minister questions the efficiency and integrity of former employees of the CIE bus service?
The Deputy is putting words into my mouth; he will not get away with that. I said no such thing.
Did the Minister not say in his reply that, in the interests of efficiency and integrity, the most suitable personnel would be found——
The Deputy may quote my reply, but he will not attribute to me words I did not use about another section of the community.
We will leave the record to speak for itself. Will the Minister agree that the CIE personnel receive paltry pensions as compared with the persons whom it has been decided to favour and, having regard to the onerous duties performed over the years by such transport employees, would reconsideration not be given now to the employment of at least some of these people, particularly having regard——
We cannot have a speech on this question.
——to the matters in relation on which they will be required to give assistance to the court——
Question No. 25.
This is an important new service and I am satisfied that, for its efficient operation, the most suitable class of people to undertake these new duties are people trained in the law like ex-members of the Garda Síochána.
Question No. 25.
Could the Minister say whether or not the traffic wardens to which this question refers will be entitled to join a trade union?
That is an entirely separate question. It has nothing to do with the question.
Sin ceist eile.
This is a serious slander on transport employees.
Question No. 25.