asked the Taoiseach whether he has employed or proposes to employ any advisers to his Department; the conditions of employment of all such personnel and the duties assigned to them; and whether the conditions of employment allow for the payment of golden handshakes on the termination prior to 1985-86 of any such appointments.

I propose to circulate with the Official Report a statement giving the particulars requested.

None of the contracts provides for payments of the type suggested by the Deputy.

Following is the statement:

Advisers—Department of the Taoiseach.

Can the Taoiseach indicate the duration of the contracts in question?

There are only three people involved. One of these is hardly relevant to the question but I included him anyway. He is on secondment to us from the EEC and his salary is paid by the Commission. We do not pay him anything. The second man is engaged in the capacity of adviser on cultural affairs. He was there also in Deputy FitzGerald's time and there is a question as to whether he is on a one-or two-year contract. The third person is engaged in the capacity of special adviser on Northern Ireland affairs and his contract is for the duration of the present Government.

Does the Taoiseach mean by that that his contract is for the actual duration of the Government rather than for a period of four or five years?

They are syonymous.

That is something that we shall look forward to seeing.

His contract is for the term of office of the present Government.

As that may turn out to be.