andMr. MacSharry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs 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 Minister is arranging to have circulated for inclusion in the Dáil records a statement giving the information requested by the Deputies.

The following is the statement:

Department of Foreign Affairs

Note: In addition to the foregoing the following temporary staff were recruited for periods during the four years.

(a) Up to 39 Female Temporary Clerical Assistants (44 in 1976) were recruited for seasonal work in the Passport Office for a period not exceeding ten months at maximum each year.

(b) Five temporary staff with French language qualification were recruited for our EEC Presidency January-June 1975.