asked the Minister for the Gaeltacht if he will state in respect of each State-sponsored body under the aegis of his Department (a) the number of managerial staff above the level of departmental supervisor; and (b) the number of male and female employees below that level.

Is i bhoirm tábla atá na sonraí agus, le do cheadsa, a Cheann Comhairle, cuirfear timpeall sa Tuairisc Oifigiúil é.

Seo a leanas an tábla:—

* Níl oibrithe eachtracha páirtaimsire san áireamh. †Níl bailitheoirí feamainne san áireamh.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary give his answer in the same official language as I asked the question?

Ní dhéonfaidh mé.

I asked the question in English and I want the answer in English.

Cuirfidh mé aistriúchán chugat tríd an bpost.

I want to get the answer in English.

Táimse ag leanúint an nóis a bhí ag na daoine a bhí san Oifig seo romham.

The Parliamentary Secretary will not answer the question in the official language.

If I ask a question in English I want the answer in English; if I ask the question in Irish I want the answer in Irish.

Irish is the first official language.

English is the second.

I asked the question in the second official language and I want the answer in that language.

The Parliamentary Secretary has answered questions before in the second language.

I want a ruling on it. Will the Parliamentary Secretary answer in English?

The Chair has no responsibility for the manner in which a question is answered. I understand the Parliamentary Secretary to say that the Deputy will be afforded a translation.

I want it answered now and in English. The Parliamentary Secretary should have enough courtesy to do that.

Has it not been the practice in this House for the Minister for the Gaeltacht to reply to questions in Irish——

When asked in Irish.

——and to provide the answers, when they were statements to be circulated, in Irish and English?

The present Minister for Finance when he was Minister for Social Welfare gave an answer about the Occupational Injuries Act in Irish and got away with it.

The present Minister asked the question.

Is there any danger of the Tánaiste being made Minister for the Gaeltacht?

I do not think Deputy Corish need worry about that happening to him.

I am not as fluent as the Minister, but there should be tolerance towards people who do not know the language as well as the Parliamentary Secretary.

Of course there should. May I suggest there should be tolerance in this House for the small amount of Irish used compared with the amount of English; and a willingness to accept replies from the Minister for the Gaeltacht in Irish, with translations provided in English, is not expecting too much of any Deputy.

It is not expecting too much to have a question answered in the language in which I asked it.

Is the Minister for Finance aware that last year his Parliamentary Secretary answered a question of mine both in Irish and gave me the translation in English immediately afterwards.

Chuir mé an freagra chugat tríd an bpost.

Thug tú an freagra i mBéarla agus i nGaeilge.

The Northern Ireland people know what they can expect from you.

That is irresponsible.

39.

asked the Minister for the Gaeltacht the annual salary payable as at 1st March, 1971, to the chief executive of each of the State-sponsored bodies under the aegis of his Department.

Ní bhíonn baint agamsa leis an ngnó sin toisc gurb iad na boird atá i gceist a cheapann na príomhfheidhmeannaigh.