§ MR. DELANY (Queen's County, Ossory)To ask the Postmaster-General, if he is aware of the state of affairs existing in the Irish Postal and Telegraph Service by reason of the number of learners for whom no appointments can apparently be found; is he aware that several of these youths have been in the service for upwards of three years; under these circumstances can he say why an examination for male learners is announced to be held in Dublin and other Irish centres in January next; and when the vacancies announced for that examination are likely to occur.
(Answered by Mr. Sydney Buxton.) I am aware of the facts of the case to which the hon. Member refers, and I may explain that the position has recently been met by a large increase of pay to learners with upwards of three years' service. The vacancies offered for competition in January for learners in various parts of the United Kingdom already exist either on the learners' class or on the class above to which a learners is about to be promoted. In the case of Dublin a considerable number of vacancies for learners will shortly occur, and learner from other parts of Ireland have been invited to transfer to Dublin, but very few are willing to do so. The filling of vacancies for learners at the bottom of the class will not affect the prospects of learners already in the service.