asked the Minister for Defence if he has any plans to appoint a placement officer in the Defence Forces with a view to placing personnel leaving the Army in employment, with particular reference to long-serving members.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Defence Forces' Placement Officers.
31.
I am not contemplating the making of an appointment such as is visualised in the question.
The offices of the National Manpower Service are available to all exservicemen in the matter of seeking suitable employment and they are advised to use them. A scheme of concessions exists to assist former non-commissioned officers and privates of the Permanent Defence Force in securing employment with Government Departments, local authorities and semi-State bodies.
The Minister indicated in his reply that he is not prepared to go on the lines suggested by Deputy Davern. Is he aware that many personnel leaving the Defence Forces at the moment end up attending petrol pumps because of the lack of advice and guidance in the pre-discharge days? Would he have another look at the situation to ensure that men who have served this nation loyally over the years are properly provided for and assisted to obtain suitable employment so that they will not have to accept menial jobs such as they have to at the moment?
I am not so aware. The situation is that preference is given to members of the Defence Forces who are leaving those forces. They are in a scheme which provides for the awarding of extra marks and the extension of the normal upper age limit in competitions, such as the general service clerical officer, Departmental clerical officer and tax officer in the Civil Service, assistant preventive officer, prison officer, male attendant in Dundrum hospital, postman and driver tester. I am also aware that commanding officers are very good in their concern for non-commissioned officers and men who are leaving the forces. I am aware of their very good efforts to try and place these men. I am limited in what I can do in training with the Defence Forces at the present moment by the demands of security duties. That means that what I wish to do cannot be done in full. The introduction of a placement officer would not be very much use. You would want a very large organisation to do this. The commanding officers do it in conjunction with the resettlement assistance scheme of the National Manpower Service. The men are put in touch with this and in their pre-discharge period are told what jobs they can get or registered with the resettlement assistance scheme of the National Manpower Service. They are helped by the commanding officers in every way. I have had non-commissioned officers and men express to me their thanks for the way in which their commanding officers helped them during their pre-discharge period.
The National Manpower Service is available to everyone so there is no extra assistance given by referring a man to that service. This is a question of assisting a man for resettlement after giving a long period of service. While the Minister has indicated that certain preference is given in certain Departments there are many men who leave the Defence Forces with absolutely nothing to their credit so far as skills are concerned. The personnel the Minister has indicated——
The Deputy is embarking on a speech.
——who are helped to some degree are people with superior education. The Minister must cater for other people who have given loyal service over the years.
This is not good enough, Deputy.
Would the Minister make provision for some type of assessment and training prior to discharge so that those men come out into civilian life on a par with those people who are seeking employment?
I want to assure the Deputy that as far as is physically possible—this is not heaven or Shangri La—such is done. The only difference between the Deputy, his colleague and me is that I do not accept that the appointment of such a placement officer would have any great effect. The commanding officers do their best. As well as that we have a scheme whereby local authorities give preference. We have registered apprentices in courses as fitters, bricklayers, decorators, painters and plasterers at the AnCO service. We have a number of men with the corps of engineers who have attended courses in the AnCO service. We have an informal settlement scheme in the Curragh and employers in the area are encouraged to employ people who are leaving the Army. This is all being well done. All you would have if you had a placement officer would be another name.