§ MR. DILLON (Mayo, E.)To ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that prison medical officers appointed under 7 George 4, chap. 74, sec. 72, were permanent officers, and as such entitled to pensions under the Paid Officers Super annuation Act; and, seeing that, since the passing of the Prisons (Ireland) Act, 1877, prison medical officers in Ireland are appointed as temporary officers, and thereby deprived of right to pension and of independence in the discharge of their duties, whether he can state the reason for this change.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) The Answer to the first part of this Question is in the affirmative. Since the passing of the Prisons (Ireland) Act, 1877, such prison medical officers as do not devote their whole time to the service are not entitled to pension. The fact that these officers are appointed for temporary terms does not affect the question of pension, which depends upon the principle now generally recognised throughout the public service that those persons only who devote their whole time to the service of the State are entitled to pension. Prison medical officers in Ireland are appointed for recurrent periods of three years, and no case has occurred in which the appointment has not been renewed at the 440 expiration of the term of three years. There is, I am informed, no ground for the assumption that these officers are not independent in the discharge of their duties.