149 Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Taoiseach the number of staff working within his Department who are employed on a short-term, temporary or consultative basis in the years 2009, 2010; the costs of payment to such staff in each of those years; the number of any such staff who have been previously employed in the public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48323/10]

The information sought by the Deputy regarding the number of staff employed by my Department on a short term, temporary or consultative basis and the payments made to them in 2009 and 2010 is set out in the table below. The figures mentioned do not include political appointees or staff seconded to my Department on a temporary basis from other Departments or other parts of the public service. According to my Department's records only one of the five staff concerned was previously employed in the public service.