asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs how he reconciles the monthly costs with the annual costs of the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra as given by him in a reply of 28th May, 1958.

I gave the Deputy the figures he asked for: the total cost of the Radio Eireann Symphony Orchestra and the numbers and total monthly remuneration of non-nationals and nationals employed as musicians. Not all the people employed as musicians in Radio Éireann are in the Symphony Orchestra.

As it now appears that the Deputy desired that all the information should be confined to the Symphony Orchestra, I repeat the particulars for that orchestra only:—(a) total cost of Symphony Orchestra for year stated £51,518; (b) number of non-nationals in Symphony Orchestra 35; their total monthly remuneration £2,177 (approx.); (c) total monthly remuneration of Irish nationals in the Symphony Orchestra £2,115 (approx.).

The question I asked was the full cost of the Symphony Orchestra for the year. The Minister stated £51,000. He also stated that it cost per month £2,404 for non-nationals and £3,727 for national. Adding the two costs and using simple multiplication, we get £70,000 for the year. It is in the interest of every member to get this clear. I do not blame the Minister.

The Deputy is making a speech.

The fact is that the question the Deputy asked was the total number of non-nationals employed as musicians and the salaries, allowances or emoluments paid monthly to them. I think the Department interpreted that quite rightly when they took it to mean musicians employed by Radio Éireann. They had no reason to assume the Deputy meant that to apply to the Symphony Orchestra only.

I asked the number of non-nationals——

The Deputy did not ask for it.

There is nothing about nationals or non-nationals in this.

I asked what was the total cost of the Symphony Orchestra for a year.

What has all this got to do with this question?

If you add the other two figures and multiply them, they come to £73,572.

The Deputy did not ask for the number of non-nationals employed as musicians in the Symphony Orchestra, nor did he ask for the number of Irish nationals employed as musicians in the Symphony Orchestra.

And the total cost comes to £73,572.

I gave the Deputy the total of the musicians employed. That is what he asked for.