andMr. MacSharry asked the Minister for Justice 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 answer is in the form of a tabular statement which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report.

Following is the statement:

(a) Number of people employed in each of the years 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976:

(b) Number of people employed in each of the years 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, without having taken part in a public competition:

(c) Number of people employed in the sixmonth period 1st July—31st December 1976 without having taken part in a public competition: 17.