asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of people employed in his Department; their ranks; and when a management and efficiency review was last undertaken in his Department.

The number of persons employed in my Department at the beginning of January 1986 was 3,546. The information sought regarding the ranks of staff is in the form of a tabular statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report.

In addition to the normal ongoing reviews which are carried out by specialist sections of my Department a management review of two major branches was carried out during 1985 by a team comprising a representatives of my Department, the Department of the Public Service and a private consultancy firm.

Following is the statement:

Department of Social Welfare — Numbers Serving at the Beginning of January 1986

I presume the tabular statement will be forwarded to me?

Yes.

What were the main recommendations of this management and efficiency review? In view of the fact that the Department of Social Welfare are the largest spending Department of State, having been provided in the Estimates for 1985 with £1,323 million, would the Minister say how many people in his Department are engaged as accountants or auditors in the examination of the efficiency of such spending?

The tabular statement gives the various grades and I am sure all those grades particularly the higher grades will be involved in a degree of control of audit.

What was the main recommendation of the management and efficiency examination in 1985?

There was a review of widows and orphans in accounts branch, a review of the disability benefit scheme and a review of computerised schemes. As part of their normal functions the Department's internal audit unit, who were expanded during 1985, bring to the attention of management any instances of duplicate functions, excessive checking, wastage or other inefficiencies and suggest remedies. It is proposed to carry out a management survey in 1986. Following proposals to examine the operation and working of employment exchanges a joint team from the Department of Social Welfare and the Department of the Public Service with consultants intend to commence a study of three large employment exchanges. This project has not yet commenced due to objections by the staff unions concerning present staffing levels. Following publication of the White Paper, Serving the Country Better, work has commenced on establishing new management systems to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the services provided by the Department.

I take it that there are 3,546 persons employed by the Minister's Department spending a sum of £1,323 million and we spend almost £35 million on salaries. Will the Minister confirm that it is the objective of this administration to ensure that modern management practices are observed in his Department?

I can assure the Deputy that in the past few years major strides have been taken in relation to this matter and they will continue to be taken. Almost every section of the Department have changed to computerisation.