asked the Minister for Labour the number of occupational guidance officers employed by the National Manpower Service.

21.

asked the Minister for Labour the number of (a) occupational guidance officers, and (b) placement officers currently employed by the National Manpower Service.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 20 and 21 together.

There are six occupational guidance officer posts in the National Manpower Service at present and all of these posts are filled. In addition two officers recently commenced a course of training abroad in occupational guidance and will be available for guidance work when they have completed the course in the summer of 1978. The question of further additions to the service will be considered in the meantime.

There are 60 placement officers currently employed and arrangements are in progress for the recruitment of a further 22 to bring the number in this grade to 82 as soon as possible. The ultimate staffing needs of the placement function will be kept under regular review in the light of experience.

I realise that the Minister is not very long in his post and that he certainly will get down to the job. Is he aware that, according to the Institute of Personnel Management and the Institute of Training Managers. these six guidance officers must cater for 150,000 young people under the age of 19? Would he not think that the figure is completely unrealistic and that we are sowing the seeds of dissatisfaction in places of employment because of this?

I am aware of the necessity for increasing the numbers. It is considered that there should be a guidance officer for every six placement officers, and that means that we should have about 14 at the moment. Two extras are in training and I hope that, with the approval of the Minister for the Public Service, I will be able to create three additional posts in 1978. I might also add that the embargo on the public sector did not help me in the past number of years.

Could the Minister give any indication as to the average active place-load of these guidance officers?

I have not that information but I can get it and convey it to the Deputy if he so wishes.

Could I ask the Minister if he will outline the division of function between placement officers and guidance officers?

The guidance officer's function is available as a referral service only, that is, persons in need of guidance are referred to the service by another agency, usually the placement service. I do not have to spell out the function of the placement service.