asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is now prepared to lay on the Table of the Dáil the contract between the Government and Messrs. Siemens Schuckert for the execution of the Shannon Power Development Scheme.

The contractors are entitled to have their contracts with me treated as confidential documents, and I am not aware of any circumstances which would justify me in laying them on the Table.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that on one occasion the Minister stated that it was because the supplies had to be procured by the contractors in open market that he agreed with the non-exposure of the contract? Does the Parliamentary Secretary now mean that the contract should never be exposed?

I do not see any reason for publishing the details.

Do I understand the Parliamentary Secretary to say that it will never be exposed?

That is another question.