asked the Minister for Justice the current number of applicants for admission to the Garda Síochána.

Since 15th March, 1974, the closing date for entry for the last Garda entrance competition held in May, 1974, the commissioner has received over 2,800 applications for entry to the force.

Is the Minister aware that when these 2,800 applicants applied for consideration for admission as trainee Garda recruits, they were given a leaflet at the local Garda station which contained the conditions for admission to the Garda? It clearly indicated to intending applicants that the leaving certificate with passes in English and Irish would exempt them from doing an entrance examination.

I am not aware of the details of what is in the leaflet. I am generally aware that a leaflet is available for the assistance of intending applicants. That leaflet is in no way binding, nor could it pre-empt the actual terms of the competition for recruitment. I do not think anybody would have been misled or put in a false position by virtue of it.

Surely the Minister will agree that, if the local sergeant or somebody acting on his behalf, gave an official leaflet to intending applicants for admission as trainee Garda recruits which clearly stated that the leaving certificate with passes in Irish and English would exempt them from further examinations, this would lead those people to believe this exemption would be valid at the time of the examination?

That leaflet set out the terms of the previous competitions but not necessarily the terms of the next competition. In fact, as I told the Deputy here last week, the terms of the next competition will require a competitive examination to be undergone by all applicants.

Surely the Minister must agree that, if a leaflet of the type I have described was given to intending applicants for admission as trainee Garda recruits, the information in that leaflet given to these people on behalf of the commissioner, who is responsible to the Minister, was nothing short of misleading? If it was not to act as a guideline for these people in regard to their hopes, aims and ambitions to get into the Garda force, what was the purpose of giving it out at all?

To give a general indication of the terms of entry into the Garda. That was the purpose of the leaflet. I regret that anybody might have been misled by it, but the position is perfectly clear now.

I am satisfied from the many letters I got that 2,800 applicants for admission to the Garda have been misled.

That is quite wrong. That is absolutely wrong.