asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is aware that the person dealing with cattle headage grants for County Sligo has resigned; that, as yet, no replacement has been appointed; and when he intends to make an appointment to deal with the outstanding difficulties in respect of payments of cattle headage grants in County Sligo.

One member of the staff of my Department did, in fact, resign about three weeks ago but it is incorrect to infer, as the question would suggest, that this was the only person dealing with cattle headage grants for County Sligo. The procedure for recruitment to fill staff vacancies follows a normal pattern and in the meantime by temporary redeployment of staff there is no interruption in the payment of grants in County Sligo.