(Limerick West) asked the Minister for Agriculture the number of technical and administrative staff in his Department; and the cost of their salaries.

The number of staff currently employed in my Department is 5,042. The projected salary cost for 1983 is £44 million.

Since the withdrawal of many of the schemes and aids has there been any withdrawal of staff in the sections of the Department which administered those schemes?

The number serving the Department has been significantly reduced in the past two years. Under the July 1981 restriction the number of posts in the Department was reduced by 355. Under restrictions announced on 23 December 1981 230 posts which have fallen vacant have been left unfilled. In addition the Department have been required to operate a number of new schemes and these have been operated by the redeployment of staff from other work.

Would the Minister agree that, in most of the instances he has refered to, this is wastage rather than retirements?

It probably was.

Could the Minister tell us what element of redundancy money is involved in this projected £44 million?

I have not that information.

Is the Minister aware that in recent transfers of staff from the Department of Agriculture to ACOT, the staff were given redundancy money and also permanent jobs with ACOT.

I am not sure that that is correct.