§ MR. MEEHANI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can say if there are 207 officers on the clerical staff of the Irish Land Commission with minimum salaries from £200 to £70, maximum from £300 to £100; whether a number have over fifteen years service; whether any of these officers possessed the necessary qualifications to discharge the duties of the office to which Mr. Wilkinson, an outsider, was lately appointed; if so, and in view of the want of ability on the part of the staff, will he take steps to raise the standard of qualifying examinations for admission to the service; and can he say on whose recommendation Mr. Wilkinson was appointed, and were his qualifications tested if so, by whom, and the date of the examination.
* MR. BRYCEI am afraid that I cannot usefully add much to my replies to the hon. Member's Questions of May 3rd and 23rd.† The post to which reference is made is one requiring special qualifications, which Mr. Wilkinson, who is a skilled accountant of many years experience, was found to possess. Before the appointment was made, the qualifications and merits of the existing staff were fully considered, and in appointing Mr. Wilkinson I am informed that regard was had solely to the efficiency of the public service.
§ MR. MEEHANOn whose recommendation was this appointment made?
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWhoso poor relation is he?