asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if any claim has been made for disturbance allowances by employees of his Department in respect of the transfer of Departmental responsibilities to An Bord Telecom Éireann or An Post; the nature of any such claim; and the Government's view of such claim.

Notification has been received at the Departmental Conciliation Council under the Scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration for the Civil Service of a claim for increased pay for one particular grade based on the proposed transfer of members of the grade from the Civil Service to Bord Telecom Éireann. As the proceedings of the council are confidential it would be inappropriate for me to comment further on the matter at this stage.

Can the Minister confirm that there is no claim made for disturbance allowance as such arising from the transfer by any section of the Department who will be transferred to Bord Telecom or An Bord Phoist?

No claim has been presented in respect of disturbance as such arising from the transfer of responsibility from the Department to Bord Telecom Éireann or An Post.

In the event of such a claim being presented, would the Minister agree that such a claim would have no merit in the light of a mere transfer of effective responsibility? Further, is the Minister in a position to indicate which section of the Department sought a pay increase for the sole reason that they may be transferred to one of the two boards rather than remain under the auspices of the Department?

I will not go into the first part of the Deputy's supplementary. Notification has been received of a claim for increased pay for the grade of telephone officer based on the proposed transfer of the grade from the Civil Service to Bord Telecom Éireann.

Is the Minister in a position to disclose the nature of the increase being sought?

I am not in a position to do so.

12.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the total sum of money paid, or due to be paid, by his Department by way of disturbance allowances; the nature of the disturbance for which such payments are to be made or have been made; and the nature of any outstanding claims for payment of such allowance.

The total sum involved is £1.25 million. The allowances have been paid in respect of the initial occupation by staff of new premises. All outstanding claims are of a similar kind.

Can the Minister confirm that disturbance allowance has been sought or claimed for a move of a mile or less by members of his Department? Can he confirm that no such new claims will be acceptable to his Department and that An Bord Telecom and An Bord Poist have been advised or will be given a directive not to grant payments of disturbance allowance on their assuming responsibility for the different sections of the Department being transferred to them?

I am aware of the Government's decision in relation to claims for disturbance allowance. The £1.25 million that I referred to in the reply are payments that have already been made to staff for disturbance on movement from one place to another.

I have a final supplementary.

A final supplementary.

Regarding the £1.25 million which the Minister referred to, can he indicate how much of that has been paid in respect of moves by employees of his Department of a mile or less from their previous place of work?

I do not have that information. The Deputy will appreciate that it is rather detailed and if he had asked me for it possibly I would have been able to get it for him.

Will the Minister consider claims lodged before the embargo was placed by the Minister for the Public Service in relation to claims for disturbance allowance?

I presume they will be considered but it is not up to me to make a decision on it.