Vol. 397 No. 1
14 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Finance the reason applicants for the position of clerical assistant in the Civil Service are required to provide themselves with typewriters for typewriting tests; if, in light of the difficulties which this can produce for candidates from low income families, who may have to hire a typewriter and a taxi to take it to the examination centre, he will reconsider this regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The average candidature for this competition is usually in excess of 2,000 applicants and involves arranging typing tests in up to 12 locations throughout the country. In view of the administrative difficulties and expense involved it is not proposed at present to alter the existing arrangements.
I am concerned that there should be fair competition between all applicants for these positions. Could the Minister explain what an applicant who did not possess a typewriter might do in applying for one of these jobs or what an applicant who managed to get a typewriter but who did not have a means of transporting the machine to the examination hall might do? Is the Minister suggesting that they should lug it along on the train or the bus? Surely it is possible to make some arrangements with schools or public service offices who would have a lot of typewriters available, to make them available for a test like this.
In order to facilitate these applicants as far as possible within the administrative structures available to the Department of the Public Service up to 12 locations have been arranged so that they can be as near as possible to the centres. If the Deputy is being sensible and practical about this issue I am sure he will agree that we cannot have a centre in every town and village. Because of the numbers involved — 2,376 in 1990 and 4,000 in 1986, when the last examination was held — it would be totally impractical to do what the Deputy suggests.
Does this mean that a person who is looking for a job as a bus driver will have to provide his own bus?
That seems to be a separate question.
That is the kind of cynical question asked by a Deputy who only appears here once in a while because he prefers to be in Brussels. Even if that is the kind of cynical questions asked in Brussels we do not admire it here.
That question was not as silly as the Minister's outburst in Kanturk.
I am speaking in the Dáil today.
Does the Minister not agree that it is disgracefully discriminatory——
I will start my question again because I am very serious about this issue.
Repetition at Question Time is a luxury we cannot afford.
Does the Minister not agree that it is disgraceful discrimination against young people from a working class background to require them to bring their own typewriters to sit the test for Civil Service examinations? Does the Minister not accept this and will he do something about it?
As I have said, we have gone as far as we can go within the limits available to us at present. I will bear in mind what Deputy Rabbitte has said but I am not sure from which part or half of his party that suggestion came.
The Minister should worry about Deputy Gerry Collins and I will worry about that.
Kanturk——
I am speaking in the Dáil today.
Is the Minister aware of any other employer outside of the public service who requires applicants for secretarial positions to bring their typewriters to examinations? Is the Minister not aware that virtually every school which runs a secretarial class has a battery of typewriters which could be availed of? Surely it would be possible for his Department and the Civil Service to arrange their affairs in such a way that typewriting tests could be carried out in schools where typewriters are available so that applicants will not be put in the absurd position of having to haul, as the regulations state, old fashioned manual typewriters to these examinations.
As I said in my reply to the other half of The Workers' Party, I will look at the matter. If they put down a question in the near future I will be able to tell them if it is possible to make such plans.
Deputy Michael Noonan is anxious to get in.
(Limerick East): Would the Minister consider supplying typewriters to students of families who have medical cards, which would be the normal means test——
That is a very distinct and separate question. Let us deal with Question No. 15.
(Limerick East): The Minister may like to reply.
I think it is a matter for the Minister for Health.
We could hardly supply the Dáil Members at present.
Will the Office of Public works do anything——
I have called Question No. 15.
