asked the Minister for Health the total number of temporary staff laid off since 31 March 1987 in each health agency, including health boards, voluntary hospitals and other organisations; when it is proposed to begin making permanent staff redundant; the number of vacancies which have arisen in each health agency since 31 March, and at what levels; the number of these vacancies which were authorised by him and the Minister for Finance for filling to date; and the number of requests for the filling of posts either he or the Minister for Finance have declined.

The statistical information in relation to this question is not readily available. I will be in touch with the Deputy in due course as soon as the information is available.

Will the Minister confirm the headlines in newspapers of late that 2,000 jobs will be lost in the health services as a result of the measures he has taken in the budget?

As I said in reply to an earlier question, we are awaiting a profile from the various health agencies, the health boards and the voluntary hospitals as to how they intend to use their allocation this year. We hope to have that profile available within the next ten days to two weeks and we will then be in a position to reply to the Deputy's question and will convey the information to him.

Will the Minister confirm that in the Estimate this morning the pay element is down by £20 million and, therefore, that job losses are real and will occur?

I have already stated publicly that there will be a reduction in the number of people working in the health services. As the Deputy is aware, there are at present 60,000 people working in the health services, an increase of 18,000 from 15 years ago.

Is it true that the Minister has agreed to a meeting with the staff interests to discuss the cutbacks but has, at the same time, pre-empted that by issuing circulars announcing the cutbacks to the health boards.

I have agreed to meet the unions involved. The circular was sent to the health boards clarifying the position in relation to the embargo announced by my colleague, the Minister for Finance, on budget day.

Has the Minister confirmed on national television that the staffing will fall this year by 2,000? In others words, 2,000 jobs will be lost in the health services this year. If he will not confirm it in the House he has confirmed it on national television.

As I have already stated in reply to this question, I stated publicly that there well be reductions in the number of people working in the health services. Those reductions will be of the order of 3 per cent as a result of the embargo.