andMr. MacSharry asked the Minister for the Public Service the number of people employed in the public service on 31st December in each of the last four years; the number of people who were employed in 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.

The information sought by the Deputies is set out in a statement which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report.

Following is the statement:

The figures in column (i) represent the number of non-industrial civil servants employed on the first working day of the calendar year in question. The number employed on 4th January, 1977, was 48,670.

The figures in column (ii) represent the numbers recruited to the non-industrial civil service in the calendar years 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976, otherwise than by public competition conducted by the Civil Service Commissioners or by the Departments/ Offices concerned. These were mainly people recruited to (a) scheduled occupations, for example, messenger, cleaner, attendant, under section 4 of the Civil Service Commissioners Act, 1956, and (b) posts, for example, temporary clerical assistant, temporary agricultural officer, temporary postmen for the Christmas period—over 2,000 each year, under excluding order made under section 5 of the Civil Service Commissioners Act, 1956.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary give me the figures in the last part of his reply?

Like the previous question, this is rather complicated as the figures come under two headings. I will read the figures but the Deputy will be as wise when I have read them as he is now.

One never knows.

The figures in column (i) represent the number of non-industrial civil servants employed on the first working day of the calendar year in question. The number employed on 4th January, 1977 was 48,670.

41.