asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of staff formerly employed in the Irish Land Commission who have been transferred to her Department; the functions of the transferred staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Twenty-nine staff in clerical grades have been transferred from the Department of Agriculture to my Department in accordance with levies approved by the Government. They have been assigned to various departmental offices and they are engaged in clerical duties. It is not known how many of them formerly served in the Land Commission.

It is possible that the Deputy is referring to certain grades of Land Commission staff who were due to be transferred on loan to my Department following the completion of consultations with staff interests.

The officers concerned were estate officers and Land Commission supervisors but in the event the transfer did not materalise. I understand that they are at present engaged in agricultural activities in the Department of Agriculture.

Am I to understand that no staff have been transferred from the Land Commission? Can the Minister confirm whether or not negotiations are going on and if any staff will be transferred from the Land Commission and, if so, what functions they will perform?

I thought I answered that question. Twenty-nine staff in clerical grades have been transferred from the Department of Agriculture to my Department in accordance with levies approved by the Government. It is quite possible that the Deputy is referring to certain grades of Land Commission staff who were due to be transferred on loan to my Department and I explained that that transfer has not materialised.

Can the Minister confirm whether or not the difficulties in the transfer of the staff resulted from the refusal of the Land Commission staff to move and whether or not it was proposed by the Government to absorb these into the Department of Social Welfare on a permanent basis rather than on loan?

In September 1984 it was decided that 13 estate officers and nine Land Commission supervisors should be transferred on loan to the Department of Social Welfare for specified periods and, of course, it was a conditional clause in the Government decision that the transfer of such staff was not to be implemented until consultation with staff interests had been completed. Difficulties between the unions representing staff interests could not be resolved and it is understood from the Department of the Public Service that the assignment of estate officers to the courts is now under consideration. The Department of Agriculture state that the estate officers are at present fully engaged in agricultural duties. In relation to the Land Commission supervisors, these officers are at present fully employed by the Department of Agriculture on agricultural duties and it is understood that due to changing circumstances their employment is likely to be continuous in the area in which they are working at the moment.

In regard to the 29 staff transferred to his Department from the Department of Agriculture could the Minister confirm from what section of the Department were these staff transferred and what their present functions are? Can the Minister further confirm that no further staff will be transferred from the Land Commission section of the Department of Agriculture to his Department?

As I have already stated, the 29 staff are in clerical grades and they were transferred from the Department of Agriculture in accordance with the levies approved by the Government. It is not known how many of that 29 have formerly served in the Land Commission. That information is not available.

There will be no further transfers from the Land Commission to the Department of Social Welfare?

There will always be transfers of staff in the public service, particularly clerical staff. This is an ongoing operation.

Is the Minister aware that there was a serious degree of disquiet and unhappiness among the estate officers of the Land Commission when it was mooted that they would be transferred to the Department of Social Welfare? Did his Department have consultations with those officers?

I have already said that the Government decision would not be implemented until consultation with staff interests had been completed. In those consultations difficulties arose, as I have already stated. These people are engaged in other activities.

Is the Minister confirming that there was disquiet and unhappiness among the estate officers about the proposed transfers?

There were difficulties — and I am not aware of the exact nature of those difficulties—between the unions representing staff interests which could not be resolved. I understand from the Department of the Public Service that the assignment of estate officers to the courts is now being considered.