§ MR. REDDY (King's County, Birr)On behalf of the hon. Member for the Ossory Division of Queen's County, I beg to ask the Vice-president of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether he is aware that, in the case of the three chief officials of the Department's veterinary branch, one enjoys a salary of £850 a year, being £150 In excess of the sum fixed for the post, and that the other two have had their salaries increased by £100 and £75 each during the past two years; whether he is also aware that there are gentlemen in the same branch who have fourteen years continuous service and who are doing superior duties, but who are denied entrance into the Second Division; and whether he can explain the reasons for the disparity of treatment in those cases.
§ THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR IRELAND (Mr. T. W. RUSSELL,) Tyrone, S.The suggestion in this Question that certain clerks in the veterinary branch of the Department have been unfairly treated by being denied promotion to the Second Division to which they were entitled is unfounded. There is no analogy between the cases of officers of from thirty to forty years service holding the higher positions and those of the subordinate clerks referred to.