asked the Taoiseach when he proposes to appoint the remaining Ministers of State.

This matter is still under consideration. I cannot include the Deputy.

What about Jackie Fahey?

I will consider that recommendation.

At the risk of alienating the Fianna Fáil members of Waterford County Council, may I ask the number of additional appointments——

I am sorry, I was somewhat disconcerted by unmannerly interjections by the Fine Gael front bench.

May I ask the number of additional appointments the Taoiseach intends to make?

In due course I intend to bring the number of Ministers of State up to the requisite figure of 15.

Could the Taoiseach tell us the posts or duties which he intends to assign to the appointees?

No, no more than my predecessor told his trusted stalwarts what positions they were going to occupy until five minutes before they filed into this House after the June election. I believe that in the Taoiseach's room on that occasion junior Ministers actually swopped portfolios between themselves without regard to the Taoiseach.

Is it not true that the Taoiseach is waiting until after the by-election because he does not want any more men sulking in his own party until he tries to get over the present hurdles?

Am I correct in my recollection of the Taoiseach saying he proposed to consider further and more carefully which Departments would have most need for a junior Minister before making his appointments?

Yes. There is also something more than that. I am considering a reallocation of the functions between the Departments.

On what basis did the Taoiseach's first survey draw him to the conclusion that the Department of Forestry and Fisheries were more in need of an appointment than the Department of Foreign Affairs? On what evidence did the Taoiseach reach that conclusion?

I do not understand the Deputy's question. Perhaps he will repeat it.

On what basis did the Taoiseach feel that the Department of Forestry and Fisheries were in more urgent need of two Ministers to look after them than the Department of Foreign Affairs.

It has been traditional that, because of the very sensitive nature of the Department of Foreign Affairs, it is desirable, in my view certainly, to have all the matters in the Department of Foreign Affairs handled by the Minister himself. I can only point to the disastrous experience of the previous Government in having a Minister of State there who was quite superfluous and supernumerary.

I thank the Taoiseach very much. It does not say very much for his interest in development co-operation.

I understand the Taoiseach is still considering the areas of responsibility to be assigned to the Ministers of State. Is it his intention to appoint a Minister of State at the Department of Justice with sole responsibility for law reform?

At this stage I advise the Deputies opposite to wait and see what appointments I will make and then consider them carefully. In the meantime, perhaps Deputy Shatter will let me know if he intends to be a member of the Fine Gael front bench and, if so, what particular position he intends to occupy?