§ MR. HORACE PLUNKETT (Dublin Co., S.)I bog to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether Clause 28, Section 1 (as proposed by the Government to be amended) of the Government of Ireland Bill guarantees to those officers of the Irish Civil Service affected by the Bill the continuance, after the expiration of the transitional period, of their present positions as regards salaries, gratuities, pensions, annual and sick leave, and such other privileges as are incident to the respective classes to which they belong; in reference to the proposed new Section 8 of Clause 28 of the Government of Ire-land Bill what provisions it is intended to make to meet the views of the Second Division Clerks in the Irish Civil Service, as recently laid before him, on the subject of transfer to Great Britain; and whether, having regard to Schedule V. of the Government of Ireland Bill, six months' service and upwards, over and above a completed number of years' service, shall be reckoned as a completed year of service for the purposes of determining the pensions of Irish Civil servants, as the Sixth Schedule provides in the case of the Royal Irish Constabulary?
MR. J. MORLEYThe proposed amendment to Clause 28 of the Government, of Ireland Bill does not guarantee continuance in office after the transitional period. As regards the second question, I am in communication with the Treasury. Having regard to the difference in the position of a Civil servant with that of a member of the police, inasmuch as he is entitled, in all circumstances, to count the full transitional period, it is not proposed to give him the particular advantage referred to in the question. It would be more convenient to discuss minor points in Committee rather than by means of questions and answers.
§ MR. A. O'CONNOR (Donegal, S.)Will the right hon. Gentleman confer with the authorities of the Customs and Inland Revenue Board as to allowing Irishmen in the service of the Inland Revenue in Ireland to exchange into the service in Great Britain or vice versa on the passing of the Home Rule Bill?