asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry the number of foresters employed by his Department in each year from 1977 to 1982, inclusive.

: The statistics requested are set out in a tabular statement which I propose to circulate with the Official Report.

The following is the statement:

The number of staff employed in the forester grades in my Department at the beginning of each year in the period 1977 to 1983 inclusive was as follows: