andMr. MacSharry asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of people employed in his Department in each of the last four years; the number of people employed in each of the same years without having taken part in a public competition; and the number of people employed in the past six months without having taken part in a public competition.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report a statement giving the information requested.

Following is the statement:

It is presumed that the question relates to the number of persons taken into employment in the Department of Social Welfare in each of the periods specified. On this basis the particulars are as follows:

In the past six months, that is in the six months ended 31st December, 1976, one person was employed without taking part in a public competition.