andMr. MacSharry asked the Minister for Health 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.

The information sought is contained in a tabular statement which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report.

Following is the statement:

* Permanent staff of the Hospitals Commission transferred to the Department prior to the commission dissclution.