§ MR. MANDEVILLE (Tipperary, S.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland how many officials connected with the Government in Ireland, and how many employés in Dublin Castle, are over 65 years of age, and why the rule for their retirement when past 65 years of age is not enforced?
§ *SIR J. T. HIBBERT (who replied)said: The Order in Council of the l5th of August, 1894, which prescribes compulsory retirement at 65, applies only to persons coming within the definition of
all permanent officers in the Civil Service drawing salaries or placed on scales of salary in excess of those of the Second Division.The Treasury has no means of knowing the ages of officials in Ireland generally: but in the case of officers included in the definition just given, it is the duty of the Comptroller and Auditor General to call attention to any payments of salary to persons over 65 in contravention of the Order, and the head of the Department concerned has to satisfy the Comptroller and Auditor General that the Order is being complied with. The only officers now serving in Ireland whose term of service has been extended by the Treasury beyond 65 years of age are Sir Patrick Keenan and Sir Richard Sankey, and the reasons for their retention are given in the Parliamentary Returns, No. 145 of 1892 and 117 of 1894 respectively.