asked the Minister for Education the approved number of inspectors for post-primary schools in his Department; and if all approved posts have been filled.

39.

asked the Minister for Education why 14 of the 57 posts as post-primary inspectors in his Department remain unfilled.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Question Nos. 38 and 39 together. There are 57 posts as post-primary inspector. At present 14 of these are vacant due to retirements, resignations and promotions. These vacancies have been advertised by the Civil Service Commission.

Can the Minister assure us that all those vacancies will be filled in a very short time? Will the Minister agree that there is if anything a considerable shortage of inspectors in the post-primary branch of the Department of Education and that many people who joined the Department because they liked working in schools found themselves stuck behind desks with mountains of paperwork in Dublin?

I agree, and I hope that suitable people will present themselves to fill the vacancies that exist.

Will the Minister tell us when the vacancies will be filled?

I can say when they were advertised, and the Deputy has my assurance that they will be filled as expeditiously as possible. I accept that there is an urgency attached to the matter, as the Deputy has indicated.

How long have the vacancies been in existence? How many remain to be filled?

That is a separate question.

They were advertised last November. I thought that it was the concern of the Deputy that these vacancies should have been advertised, and that is the assurance I am giving him.

And they have not been filled after four months?

They have not been filled yet.