§ 38. Mr. DONNELLYasked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that a permanent increase of 10s. per week in wages has recently been granted to the prison officers of England and Scotland, but only to a section of the Irish prison officers; and if he will take steps to have the increase extended to all the Irish prison officers?
§ Mr. SAMUELSThe increase of pay referred to has been granted to the various 1119 classes of officers in the Irish prisons service corresponding to the classes of the English prisons service. The increase has not been extended to certain officers of the Irish prisons service, about twenty in number, who, in 1916, elected to retain obsolete scales of pay with emoluments, fuel and light, which are no longer recognised as part of the remunerations of other prison officers in Ireland or in Great Britain. The position of these officers who have not participated in the increase is at present under consideration.