asked the Minister for the Public Service the approximate number of unestablished civil servants who are protected by the Minimum Notice Act, but not by the Unfair Dismissals Act and the principal categories involved.
352.
Written Answers. - Unestablished Civil Servants.
351.
asked the Minister for the Public Service if he is aware that such categories of unestablished state employees as messengers, porters, and so on, do not appear to have the protection of the Unfair Dismissals Act and have been dismissed without any form of redress and if it is intended to rectify the position.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to answer questions Nos. 351 and 352 together.
As indicated in the reply to an earlier question by the Deputy on 20 November 1979, the provisions of the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 do not apply to unestablished staff in the nonindustrial civil service. Such staff are, however, included under the provisions of the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act 1973. The total number of unestablished civil servants excluded from the 1977 Act is 9,200 (approximately). The principal staff categories involved are as follows:
|
Post Office staff |
Staff employed in Departments generally |
|
Postmen (2,100 approx.) |
Cleaners (1,000 approx.) |
|
Telephonists and Telephone Attendants (1,100 approx.) |
Messengers (700 approx.) |
|
Installers (1,000 approx.) |
|
|
Technicians (800 approx.) |
|
|
Labourers (350 approx.) |
While the tenure of office of the staff in question is not governed by the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, I would not accept the suggestion that they are subject to arbitrary dismissal without redress. Their dismissal requires a decision at Ministerial level, and I am satisfied that they are safeguarded against unfair dismissal under existing procedures. Accordingly I do not consider it necessary to make specific provision for their inclusion within the scope of the 1977 Act.