asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied that it will be possible to maintain the present quality and level of service by filling only one in three vacancies which arise in each health board area.

No direction has been given to health boards that they can only fill one of every three vacancies arising. They have been told that, in the light of the reduction in pay volume in this year's allocation and provided each health board takes the necessary measures to achieve the required retrenchment to accord with the approved pay allocation, no specific directions in regard to the non-filling of vacancies will be issued. It is, therefore, a matter for each board within the general guidelines laid down by the Department to determine the measures necessary to keep within its allocation.

Is the Minister now saying that the embargo on the filling of vacancies in the public service does not apply to health boards?

I issued a letter on 6 February which I wish to put on the record of the House:

On further consideration of this issue, the Minister has decided that in the light of the reduction in pay and volume in this year's allocation and provided health boards take the necessary measures to achieve the required retrenchment in accord with the approved allocation, no specific directions in regard to the non-filling of vacancies will be issued. Within the general guidelines, as set out in the Department's letter of 14 December, it will be a matter for each health board to determine the measures necessary to keep within the allocation.

Will the Minister please read out paragraph 6 of the letter of 15 December?

Yes, It stated:

The Government decided throughout 1984 the arrangement whereby two-thirds of all vacancies occurring in the Civil Service are held open will continue in force and that measures at least equivalent in effect in terms of the numbers of posts which must remain unfilled and their cost will be applied in health agencies. Further discussions on the implementation of this decision will be held with you as soon as possible.

I make the point that that was in December. There was also a budget statement by the Minister for Finance. I sought and obtained — and I am grateful to the Minister for Finance and the Department — some flexibility. In my contribution on the budget on 26 January I made the following comment:

To facilitate the health boards and their agencies in their task I am prepared to leave them relatively free to determine the measures they need to take to ensure that they keep within their allocations. This flexibility will also apply to the question of filling or non-filling of vacancies which may arise.