asked the Minister for the Public Service the present position regarding recruitment to the civil service; and the number of places available to the school leavers this year.

In general, recruitment to the civil service is satisfactory. On present information, it is estimated that the number of appointments to be made this year to the civil service from among school leavers will be between 2,600 and 3,000.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary indicate even approximately the breakdown of that number and in what categories these positions will be created?

I have not got that information, but I will communicate with the Deputy.

How many people are still waiting on the panels formulated from competitions last year for entry to the civil service?

I have not got that information. It is a separate question.

It is the present recruiting position. Surely it is part of the question. Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that there are still some thousands on the panel from last year's competition who have not yet been called to the public service?

This question deals with school leavers.

They are school leavers.

Following on Deputy MacSharry's question, I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary if that is an annual figure and also what happens to the people on the old panel?

The 2,600 is not an annual figure. It varies from year to year.

What is the life of the panel? Do these panels go on indefinitely?

I think it is one year.