asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state in regard to the recent appointment of a postman for the Redhills district of County Cavan, the number of applicants for the post and the qualifications of each such applicant.

Part-time postman vacancies are filled from lists of persons supplied by employment exchanges and from applicants who are already temporarily employed in the Department. Five persons were considered for the recent vacancy at Redhills Post Office, County Cavan. It would be contrary to practice to furnish any information regarding their claims or qualifications as it would be difficult to do so without disclosing information obtained in confidence either from, or concerning, those persons.

Can I be told what line of reasoning led the Minister and theDepartment to come to the decision to appoint the present holder to this position in view of the fact that there were four other applicants who were bona fidelabourers? One of these labourers was a man with Army service and another was a man with a family of ten children. In view of these facts will the Minister say how it came about that this man was appointed?

I understand that all these matters were carefully gone into and that the man with a family of ten children gave up a permanent job with the county council to take up a better-paid one. As I say, all these matters were considered and the most suitable person was appointed.

Does the Minister think that to appoint a farmer to the position was a proper appointment to make?

Question No. 50.