HC Deb 04 April 1892 vol 3 cc573-4
MR. MACNEILL

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland what are the limits, if any, to the operation of the rule whereby Irish Civil servants are compulsorily retired on attaining the age of 65; and what are the principles on which the Government has in some instances departed from the rule?

MR. MADDEN

(who replied) said: The Bill referred to in the first paragraph of the question is, in its terms, unlimited as regards its operation. The Order in Council gives power to the Treasury, at the instance of a Department, to extend an officer's employment beyond 65 years on being satisfied that such officer's retirement at 65 would be detrimental to the interests of the public service, and in the few instances in which officers have had their employment extended in Ireland this has been done solely on that ground.

MR. MACNEILL

Would not the retirement of Sir Thomas Brady be detrimental to Irish fishery interests, and have not two Civil servants, Dr. Moffatt, of Queen's College, Galway, and Dr. Byrne, Divisional Police Magistrate in Dublin, declined to retire under the rule?

MR. MADDEN

With respect to Police Magistrates I am not certain that the rule applies. At all events it does not rest with me. In the other case the question of the powers of the law has been raised, and a decision is pending.

MR. T. W. RUSSELL (Tyrone, S.)

Does the law apply to the Education Department in Dublin?

MR. MADDEN

I believe it does.