236 Mr. Wyse asked the Minister for Health the total number of temporary staff currently employed in the Southern Health Board.

My Department's health services personnel census records a total of 622 wholetime temporary staff (excluding locums) being employed by the Southern Health Board at 31 December 1990. Validated census data in respect of December 1991 will shortly be available. The board has indicated that the current level of wholetime temporary staff does not vary significantly from the December 1990 figure.