asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that due to slackness of work in the building industry many tradesmen have emigrated; and, if so, what steps he intends to take to correct the position.

asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is now prepared to abolish the system of issuing licences for building operations where the value of the work exceeds £500.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together.

I have been in consultation with representatives of the building industry regarding the desirability of revoking the Control of Building Order, and the matter will shortly be submitted to the Government for decision.

Will the Minister say whether he has done anything to stop the emigration of tradesmen who were brought home only a couple of years ago with guarantees of many years' employment?

I have no information that there has been recently any exceptional emigration of tradesmen.

The Minister must be aware that only within the last fortnight the Dublin Corporation let ten bricklayers and two carpenters go with 20 assistants, and that the day after two of them left for Liverpool. Will the Minister make inquiries as to why they were let go out of the maintenance department of the Dublin Corporation instead of being put on housing schemes for the workers?

You are a member of the Dublin Council. I am not. Why not make inquiries yourself?

I am asking the Minister to give me some help and tell me why those men are being let go. Is it a hold up of money or a hold up of materials or what is the cause?

If I wanted the information I would ask it from the Deputy or from some other member of the corporation.

We want houses.