asked the Minister for Education (a) the reason technicians employed in the RTC's are classed as servants rather than as officers when (i) other RTC employees with less qualifications than them are classed as officers, i.e. clerk typists, and (ii) all other technical staff employed by local authorities have officer status; if in view of the fact that all RTC staff are the employees of the VEC in whose area the college is situated, and that VEC's are classed as a local authority employer under the Vocational Education Act, 1930, he will state the steps he intends to take to remedy the serious discrimination practised against technicians.
Written Answers. - RTC Technicians.
718.
The distinction drawn between the grades of officer and servant in the local authority area generally is governed by section 2 of the Local Authorities (Officers and Employees) Act, 1926 as amended by section 26 of the Local Government Act (No. 9 of 1955).
In the case of vocational education committees, the relevant statutory provision in section 23 of the Vocational Education Act, 1930. Traditionally in the vocational education area, the term officer is applied to the teaching and administrative employees of committees and that of servant to other categories of staff.