asked the Minister for Finance if he will state how many persons, recently resident in the County Cavan, have received employment under the Office of Public Works since 1st January, 1943; whether such persons were employed through the employment exchange in Dublin; the date upon which they were registered at that exchange; and whether their employment operated to prevent persons ordinarily resident in Dublin from being directed by the exchange to this employment when it was available.

Appointments to the subordinate and industrial staff of the Office of Public Works or of their periodical contractors in Dublin are made from amongst persons registered at the Dublin Employment Exchange.

It is not the practice of the Office of Public Works to keep records of the residential history of such employees.

No, but in this case, in-asmuch as quite a number of persons from the County Cavan have recently registered at the Dublin Employment Exchange, with a view to employment by the Board of Works in a subsidiary position or by contractors working under them, will the Parliamentary Secretary cause a special inquiry to be made with a view to determining the nature of this practice, the source of its inspiration and the reasons why this departure from normalcy was embarked upon?

I am not aware of any such practice.

You cannot be, if you do no make inquiries. Why do you not inquire into the matter?

Why does the Deputy not give the information?

Look at the questions on the paper to-day—questions 61, 62, 63, 64, 65 and 66.