§ Mr. BYRNEasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether some assistant clerks in the office of National Education, Ireland, whose cases were considered recently for promotion to the second division had longer service than those who were recommended; whether some of the clerks now passed over-in favour of juniors were recognised within the past two years by the Commissioners of Irish National Education and by the Treasury as possessing special merit; and, in view of these circumstances, will he say what is the determining factor to obtain promotion in the National Education Office, Ireland?
§ Mr. DUKESome of the assistant clerks in this office have longer service than those who were recommended for promotion and in the case of one of them a special increment of salary was granted by the Treasury in November, 1915, on the recommendation of the Commissioners in connection with the duties he is at present discharging. The Commissioners are guided in these cases by the judgment they form as to who are the officers best fitted for the duties which it is proposed to assign to them.