§ MR. BODKIN (Roscommon, N.)I beg to ask the Postmaster General, is he aware that Catholic employés in the Telegraph Department, Dublin, have been deprived by the present Controller of a privilege heretofore enjoyed, of a time allowance from the prescribed hours of attendance for the purpose of hearing Mass on Sundays and holy days of their Church, and whether he will give directions that such privilege be restored?
§ MR. A. MORLEYPost Office servants who are allowed to absent themselves from duty for the purpose of performing their religious devotions on week-days are required to make up the time thus lost to the Department at some other part of the day. Established officers employed on Sundays are paid at special overtime rates, and are, therefore, only paid for the actual hours in which they are employed.
§ MR. BODKINThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered my question in any sense. It is whether a privilege of attending Mass without loss of pay has been taken away by the present Controller, and whether the custom existing for ten years has been recently abrogated?
§ MR. A. MORLEYThe privilege was no doubt allowed, but it never received sanction from headquarters. The change was made when all Sunday work was ordered to be paid for.
§ MR. BODKINIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the privilege had existed for ten years; that the Catholics are the only people who suffer by the change, and that grave dissatisfaction exists in regard to the change?
§ MR. A. MORLEYI cannot say how long it had existed, but I can say that Catholics are treated exactly on the same footing as every other denomination in the service.