78 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the total cost of non-civil servants and other such staff attached to his office for each of the years 1980, 1988, 1990, 1995 and 1996; and the estimated cost for 1997. [7859/97]

There are no non-civil servants employed in my office. My office is staffed by a combination of permanent and temporary civil servants. Persons recruited from outside the Civil Service who are employed in my office become temporary civil servants.

79 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the total cost of non-civil servants and other such staff attached to his office for each of the years 1980, 1988, 1990, 1995 and 1996; and the estimated cost for 1997. [7855/97]

As my Department was established on 20 January 1993, the Deputy will appreciate that no comparative figures exist for the years 1980, 1988 and 1990. The cost of non-civil service staff attached to my office for 1995 was £156,000 and for 1996 was £158,000 and the estimate for 1997 is at present of the order of £160,000.