Mr. E. HARVEYasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether he is aware that a chief warder in an Irish prison has recently been promoted to the position of first-class or senior clerk, passing over nine second-class clerks, and without having passed any such examination as is imposed on the clerks; and whether he can take any steps to allay the dissatisfaction caused by this method of promotion?
§ Mr. SHORTTThe' chief warder referred to was an officer of senior rank and higher salary than the clerks in question, and was, in the opinion of the General Prisons Board, the most suitable for appointment as senior clerk. The scheme of reorganisation recently introduced into the Irish prison service provided for the promotion of the most suitable man, irrespective of rank, and second-class clerks have no prescriptive right to promotion to senior clerkships. The vacancy caused by the promotion of the chief warder referred to has been filled by the promotion of a second-class clerk.