71. Mr. EDWARD KELLYasked whether there are some temporary clerks of considerable service in the General Register Office, Dublin; was the position of these men considered by the Registrar-General before applying for additional clerks of the abstractor class; were their claims to promotion laid before the Treasury before sanction was given to the additions to the staff; and will he represent to the Registrar-General the advisability of amalgamating temporary clerks in the permanent staff where the opportunity of doing so occurs without thereby injuring the prospects of the existing permanent staff?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe Registrar-General informs me that he has fully considered the position of the temporary clerks, both male and female, and has endeavoured where possible to take advantage of any opportunity of improving the positions of those meriting such treatment.
Mr. E. KELLYHow is it that these men have remained temporary clerks for several years? And is he aware that this is the first favourable opportunity of amalgamating them to the permanent staff?
§ Mr. BIRRELLWe are doing the best we can. There are a great number of clerks in Ireland whose position is merely temporary, and whenever they can be put upon the permanent staff I agree they should be.