asked the Taoiseach the gross increase in staff numbers accredited to his Department since 1 November 1979; and the expression of that increase in percentage terms.

4.

asked the Taoiseach the cost of salaries for the staff in his Department in the 12 month periods November 1979 and November 1980; and the increase expressed as a percentage.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Question Nos. 3 and 4 together.

The staff in my Department increased by 120 since 1 November 1979. This is an increase of 226 per cent. The salaries of the staff in the 12 month period ending November 1979 amounted to £345,400; for the period ending November 1980 the amount was £758,200. The increase is 120 per cent.

The increases are largely due to (i) the transfer of staff from the former Department of Economic Planning and Development (ii) 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 and (iii) the cost of salary increases under the first and second national understandings.

Arising from the Taoiseach's reply, how can he possibly justify these extraordinary increases at a time when the amount of money being spent on virtually every social class in the State, the aged, the sick, children——

A question, please, Deputy.

——the homeless, is being cut by himself and his Cabinet colleagues? What is his justification for building up this personal mafia in his Department?

I do not think the Deputy understands the situation. The bulk of this increase comes from a re-organisation of the staff inside the Government service.

And which never happened until the Taoiseach took possession of the Department — not since the State was formed.

In the figures I have given the Deputy there is no additional recruitment to the Public Service. It is simply a matter of transferring people from the responsibility of one Department to another, as in the case of the National Board for Science and Technology and the messenger and cleaning service.

The only outfit in the country taking on additional staff.

Does the Taoiseach not accept that this is a most blatant case of empire building?

That is argument. Deputy Quinn.

Or megalomania?

Messengers and cleaners——

They are getting very well paid for messengers——

I have called Deputy Quinn.

Arising out of the Taoiseach's reply to Deputy Browne, would his answer suggest that not only have the staff of the late Department of Economic Planning and Development been transferred to his Department but the functions of that Department in their entirety, including the direction of the economy, also have been transferred to his Department?

No. As I have already explained, the function of economic planning is the responsibility of the Minister for Finance and his Department.

Since they are not now doing the job they did in the former Department what is the Taoiseach's justification for retaining such a high level of staff if the functions they previously did have been transferred to another Department? Is the charge not now accurately laid at you, Sir, that it is empire building if you strip them of their function but retain their personal service?

The number of persons transferred to my Department from the former Department of Economic Planning and Development is relatively small. The bulk of that Department was transferred, as was the function of the Department, to the Department of Finance.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Will the Taoiseach tell us the number of secretaries, Deputy secretaries and assistant secretaries that were in his Department when he assumed office and how many are there now?

I already gave that information before Christmas.

Could I ask one final question?

(Cavan-Monaghan): Will the Taoiseach give me the information?

I do not have it readily available but I will give it to the Deputy.

A final supplementary from Deputy Browne.

(Cavan-Monaghan): There are more assistant secretaries, deputy secretaries——

I should like to make the point that if I call on a Deputy to ask a supplementary and he refuses to ask it I will pass on to the next question.