asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if a divisional inspector of national health insurance in the Galway area has, on reaching the age of 67, been granted permission to remain in the service for a further period of 12 months, and if there are any special circumstances to justify departure from the usual retiring age of 65 in this case.

The services of a divisional inspector of national health insurance in the Galway area have been retained for a further period of 12 months from the date he attained the age of 67. The officer in question has an intimate knowledge of the people and conditions in the area in which he is serving, and as a native Gaelic speaker his services are of particular value in the Gaeltacht. It was accordingly considered to be in the public interest that his services should be retained for a further year.

Arising out of the Minister's reply, I should like to know whether or not he is aware that, in this service, there is a large number of assistants who are quite competent to fill the place of the retiring officer, and that this practice of continuing an officer in the service, after the retiring age has been reached, has held up the promotion of these officers—apart altogether from the fact that officers should not be retained after reaching the age of 65?

I am not aware that there is any officer of that status available with similar attainments to the officer concerned.

Is it not a fact that the Minister asked that medical officers should be retired at 65?

It is.