asked the Minister for Health whether negotiations were proceeding concerning the salaries and allowances payable to all grades of medical officers in the employment of local health authorities.

All claims received by local Health Authorities on behalf of medical officers are being processed under the Scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration for local authority officers.

92.

asked the Minister for Health the salary scales payable to different specialist groups in the local authority health services; the total number of such posts held by permanent officers and temporary officers in the years 1954, 1964 and 1968; the total number of posts of the aforementioned grades in psychiatric medicine for which advertisements have been issued; the numbers of applications for such posts; and the number of persons appointed for the three years already mentioned.

As the reply contains statistical information, I propose with your permission, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.

Following is the reply:—

Somewhat higher salaries are payable to the holders of some of these posts in Regional centres such as Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway.

Total number of such posts held permanently or temporarily:—

1954: Precise information is not readily available

1964: Permanent 139, Temporary 6

1968: Permanent 147, Temporary 9

Number of persons appointed to permanent specialist posts in Psychiatric Medicine:—

1954: 1

1964: 3

1968: 6

NOTE: The furnishing of information in regard to the advertisment of vacant permanent posts and in regard to the numbers of applications for these posts would be a matter for the Local Appointments Commissioners.