asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the appointments made in his Department from 20th March, 1957, to 13th March, 1973, other than through the Civil Service Commission and in respect of each appointment (a) the name of the person (b) the grade (c) the title of the post (d) the qualifications required (e) the salary and any allowances or emoluments attaching to the post and (f) the terms of employment.

Because of the large number of employees, including temporary, casual and part-time staff, in a variety of grades, who are recruited for my Department other than through the Civil Service Commission and the fact that the staff is spread over about 2,000 centres, the assembling of the information asked for would be unduly costly in both time and staff.

45.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state in respect of persons appointed to his Department otherwise than through the Civil Service Commission during the period 20th March, 1957 to 13th March, 1973, the number who were appointed to permanent positions paid out of public funds between 2nd March, 1973, and 13th March, 1973, and in each case (a) the name of the person, (b) the position to which the person was appointed, (c) the qualifications required, (d) the salary and any other allowance or emoluments attaching to the post and (e) the terms of employment.

As the reply is in the form of a tabular statement I propose, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.

Following is the statement:

Appointments to permanent positions made between 2nd and 13th March, 1973, of persons initially recruited other than through the Civil Service Commission in the period 20th March, 1957 to 13th March, 1973.

46.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power the appointments made in his Department from 20th March, 1957, to 13th March, 1973, other than through the Civil Service Commission and in respect of each appointment (a) the name of the person, (b) the grade, (c) the title of the post, (d) the qualifications required, (e) the salary and any allowances or emoluments attaching to the post and (f) the terms of employment.

The information required by the Deputy is not readily available. In the circumstances, if he repeats his question in a week's time I hope to be able to give him a reply.

47.

asked the Minister for Transport and Power if he will state in respect of persons appointed to his Department otherwise than through the Civil Service Commission during the period 20th March, 1957, to 13th March, 1973, the number who were appointed to permanent positions paid out of public funds between 2nd March, 1973, and 13th March, 1973, and in each case (a) the name of the person (b) the position to which the person was appointed (c) the qualifications required (d) the salary and any other allowance or emoluments attaching to the post and (e) the terms of employment.

The Department of Transport and Power was established on 1st August 1959 and my reply covers staff recruited during the period 1st August, 1959, to 13th March, 1973.

No staff other than those recruited through the Civil Service Commission were appointed to permanent positions in my Department between 2nd March, 1973, and 13th March, 1973.

Arising from the Minister's reply would the Government as a whole try to inform their backbenchers as to the date of creation of certain Departments?

That is not a proper question.