asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs is he aware that a man named McCarthy, Ahatubber Glandore, who is a native Irish speaker and had been for several years acting as auxiliary postman, was recently appointed temporarily to fill the position of postman, hitherto held by William Fortune, Glandore, who has resigned; that McCarthy was recommended for permanent appointment by those best qualified to form a judgement of his competency and fitness, and if in fact a man, named Hickey of Brulea, who has had no experience of postal work has been appointed permanently, and if Hickey's appointment was due to the fact that he is a prominent official of a local Fianna Fáil Club.

The claims of all applicants for the vacant auxiliary postmanship at Glandore were duly reviewed and the appointment was conferred upon the candidate who, having regard to his general circumstances, was considered the most deserving.

Arising out of the Minister's reply, is it not a fact that McCarthy was temporary postman for the past six years?

Yes.

Is it not also a fact that Hickey, who has got the appointment, has a charge pending against him for breaking windows in Glandore?

I have no information on the matter.

All he knows is that he is a member of the Fianna Fáil Club!

I beg to inform the Deputy that I have information that people on the other side are doing a lot of those things too—all over Cork.

Might I ask the Minister has he made any independent inquiry into the facts, or is he dependent solely for his information on the facts supplied to him by a local Fianna Fáil T.D.?

Is the Minister aware that the man who was turned down was a leading light in a banned organisation, and was secretary of it?