asked the Minister for Social Welfare why the local social welfare office in Naas, County Kildare has been closed, in view of the fact that this particular town has experienced rapid population growth in recent years and that further growth is expected within the next five years.

The local agent at Naas retired recently and arrangements were made for the discharge of the agency duties from headquarters in Dublin. Similar arrangements have been made since 1958 in other areas as vacancies have occurred in agency posts and these arrangements have, in general, proved satisfactory.