asked the Taoiseach if he will recommend to the Local Appointments Commission that they abolish the application fee paid by applicants for posts in the public services of the Republic as being a completely unfair way of subsidising the activities of the commission.

I am not prepared to recommend the abolition of the practice of charging fees to applicants for posts filled on the recommendation of the Local Appointments Commissioners. Candidates are required to pay such fees not merely to reduce the charge on the ratepayers in respect of the expenses of the commissioners but also to discourage frivolous candidature and so avoid additional expense and delay in the making of public appointments.