179 Mr. Connolly asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of Parliamentary Questions replied to by her Department in 2006; the cost involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4606/07]

In 2006, the Ministers of State and I answered a total of 5,991 Parliamentary Questions. Parliamentary Questions are dealt with, as the need arises, by the staff in the sections dealing with the particular issue(s) raised in individual Parliamentary Questions. The number and level of staff and time spent on an individual answer depends on the complexity of the issues raised, the form in which the information exists in the Department, and the form of the proposed response, i.e. whether oral or written.

As the processing of Parliamentary Questions is undertaken as part of the normal day to day work of individual sections within the Department it is not possible to isolate the administration costs of processing Parliamentary Questions from the overall administrative costs of the Department.