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Dáil Éireann - Volume 40 - 14 October, 1931 Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Post Office Dismissals. Mr. Briscoe Mr. Briscoe Mr. Briscoe asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state whether the dismissal of approximately 85 Post Office workers in the Dublin district is of a temporary nature, and if he can state when he hopes these men will be reinstated, and further, if he can state how many of these men were graded according to service regulations. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (Mr. Heffernan) Michael Richard Heffernan Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (Mr. Heffernan): The number of temporary workmen and labourers in the Engineering Branch of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs at Dublin whose services have been terminated within recent months is 70, all of whom were graded in accordance with Departemental Service Regulations. These men were employed in connection with abnormal telephone development work which has been in progress for some years and as that work is now completed and there is not any immediate possibility of further extensive development, I regret that I cannot hold out any hope of re-employment in the Department for the majority of the discharged men. Mr. Briscoe Mr. Briscoe 6 Mr. Briscoe: Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that owing to the grding of these men according to the service regulations they had to submit [6] to a reduction is salary because of what they term “establishment”? Is the Parliamentary Secretary able to say anything with regard to their position now? Mr. Heffernan Mr. Heffernan Mr. Heffernan: It does not arise out of the question. Mr. Anthony Mr. Anthony Mr. Anthony: Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that men of long service have been dismissed while men of quite recent service have been retained? Mr. Heffernan Mr. Heffernan Mr. Heffernan: In a general sense that is not correct. Mr. Anthony Mr. Anthony Mr. Anthony: Is it correct in any sense? Mr. Heffernan Mr. Heffernan Mr. Heffernan: There are certain cases where more recently employed men have been retained because of special technical qualifications and there are one or two other reasons also. Mr. Anthony Mr. Anthony Mr. Anthony: Can the Parliamentary Secretary state if these reasons are always operative, and if it is a fact that some of these people have shown technical knowledge that the persons dismissed have not shown, is he prepared to re-examine the question? Mr. Heffernan Mr. Heffernan Mr. Heffernan: There is no necessity to re-examine it. The general policy of the Department when dispensing with men of this kind is that the men most recently employed will be the first to go except in regard to men having special technical qualifications who cannot be replaced. Preference is also given to ex-members of the National Army and to members of the staff who have been recruited from the boy messenger class. The matter does not require re-examination. Mr. Davin Mr. Davin Mr. Davin: Was a preference given to those who remained in when the strike was on? Mr. Heffernan Mr. Heffernan Mr. Heffernan: That is not so. Mr. Corish Mr. Corish Mr. Corish: It is so. Mr. Anthony Mr. Anthony Mr. Anthony: Is the Parliamentary Secretary prepared to consider cases of hardship which have been created in this matter? Mr. Heffernan Mr. Heffernan 7 [7] Mr. Heffernan: I will consider them. Mr. Briscoe Mr. Briscoe Mr. Briscoe: Does the Parliamentary Secretary repudiate the statement that these men suffered a reduction in salary by virtue of the fact that they were established and graded according to service regulations? Is he prepared to say that had they not been graded they would have been in receipt of a higher rate of pay? Mr. Heffernan Mr. Heffernan Mr. Heffernan: That does not arise out of the question. Dáil Éireann 40 Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. Post Office Dismissals. Questions 19311014
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