asked the Taoiseach the number of people employed in his Department on 1 January and 1 December 1980.

The number of staff employed in my Department on 1 January 1980 was 76. On 1 December the figure was 174.

The increase is largely due to the assumption by my Department of responsibility for the National Board for Science and Technology and for the messenger and cleaning service in the north block of Government Buildings.

Will the Taoiseach state how many of the 98 extra personnel will be taken up by the National Board for Science and Technology?

Nineteen.

I take it the remainder are employed for cleaning duties?

The figures are 49 and 19 under two different categories of the kind referred to by the Deputy—a total of 68.

In what capacity?

Messengers, cleaners, paperkeepers and so on. This resulted entirely from a transfer from the Department of Finance to my Department of responsibility for this sort of service.

What about the other dozen?

There are about 12 missing from the Taoiseach's calculations.

There is an addition of about 13 general office staff for the Department of the Taoiseach.

Will the Taoiseach state the grade of the general office staff?

From secretary to paperkeeper.