I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 106 together.
There are ten staff members on temporary or other non-permanent contracts in my Department at present. Six of these are Ministerial appointments and each of these six contracts is coterminous with my appointment as Minister. In addition to these, my Department is currently employing three temporary clerical officers for project work as well as one work placement contracted under the Willing, Able and Mentoring Programme.
Since its establishment in June 2011, my Department has not granted any contracts of indefinite duration nor have any such contracts been sought.
My Department does not generally hold information relating to individual employees of the various agencies operating under the Department's remit, including the number of temporary contracts or contracts of indefinite duration sought or in place in the agencies. Accordingly, the information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. Officials of my Department have requested that the specific information requested be supplied directly to you by the agencies involved.