asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether an appointment as cleaner was made recently at the Portlaoighise Post Office, and whether the claims of a local part time postman, who is a married man with six children, were considered, and if not, why; and further if he will state what conditions governed the filling of this post, and what particular considerations were taken into account in appointing a married man with no children who had no previous service in the Post Office.

The claims of all candidates for the position of cleaner at Portlaoighise Post Office recently vacant were duly considered, and the position was given to an unemployed married man who was formerly engaged in the delivery of telegrams, and who was considered the most suitable for the post. There were no special conditions.

Arising out of the Minister's reply, might I ask if it was not very strange that the claims of the local part-time postman, who is a married man and has six children, were not considered, and a man who has a wife but no children was appointed?

All the circumstances were taken into consideration.

All I can say is that the ideas of the man who got the job must have been Fianna Fáil or something like that.

Perhaps.

The Minister very aptly replies "perhaps."