§ MR. NANNETTI (Dublin, College Green)To ask the Secretary to the Treasury, in view of the statement contained in the recent reply from the Treasury to the petition from the assistant clerks (new class) that, under Clause 15 of the Order in Council of 29th November, 1898, the responsibility for recommending to their Lordships assistant clerks of the abstractor class for exceptional promotion to the second division rests with the heads of departments, and the number of such recommendations must necessarily depend on the opinion formed by heads of departments as to the qualifications of assistant clerks serving under them, whether he is aware that certain 1532 assistant clerks serving in the National Education Office, Dublin, were recommended for promotion to the second division more than a year ago; and whether, in view of the anxiety of these officials as to the recommendations made on their behalf, and the fact that some of them have been studying in preparation for the qualifying examination, he will take steps to have the matter looked into at an early date.
(Answered by Mr. Victor Cavendish.) I cannot trace any letter to the Treasury in which the Irish Government have recommended the promotion of abstractors in the National Education Office.