asked the Minister for Education if he will state in respect of himself and any Minister of State in his Department for the period 1 January 1980 to date: (i) whether any circulars on matters unconnected with his departmental responsibilities have been sent on his behalf by post by officials of his Department to groups of his constituents, (ii) the number of different circulars involved and (iii) the estimated number of items mailed.

No such circulars have been sent out by me or by the Minister of State at my Department. Correspondence in our capacity as Dáil Deputies is issued as appropriate and, as the Deputy will be aware, this is in accordance with well-established long-standing practice.

How many civil servants in the Minister's office may be occupied from time to time in handling constituency correspondence for the Minister and the Minister of State?

If the Deputy puts down a question on that, I will reply to it and he will find a most scrupulous attitude and practice maintained in my office. I hope the Deputy will apply that to his own dealings.

There is no question of scrupulosity involved. I am trying to find out the number of people who are paid at public expense to enable messages to be sent out to the Minister's constituents and to the constituents of the Minister of State. If the Minister does not know that, he is incompetent and, if he is refusing to tell us, he is misleading the House.

The Minister is answering the question as it was put to him and to other Members. I assure the House that anybody employed in my office or in the office of the Minister of State is properly employed on proper activities.

We only want to know how many there are.

The Deputy could put down a question.

The Minister must have something to hide.

The Minister has nothing to hide but perhaps the Deputy has.