§ Mr. WATERSONasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that two established messengers, named Sackville and Morrison, employed in the Castle, Dublin, have recently been reduced in pay by £25 per year, although no misconduct is alleged against them; whether he is aware that repeated applications have been made to get this put right, and that the Department have refused any compensation to these men for their loss, and whether he will take steps to have this matter remedied at once?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe messengers referred to have not suffered any reduction of the authorised pay of their posts. In April, 1915, however, in pursuance of a recommendation of the Public Accounts Committee of 1908, economies were effected in the car services to official residences in the Phoenix Park which involved the discontinuance of allowances then payable in respect of these extra duties to the messengers in question. As the messengers had no vested right to these allowances which did not form part of their pensionable pay, and as the extra duties to which the allowances were applicable have ceased to be discharged, the discontinuance of the payment affords no ground for compensation.