asked the Minister for the Gaeltacht if he will state, under the various headings, the additional cost to the Exchequer which will result from the assignment of a separate Minister to the Department of the Gaeltacht.

Ceist thábhachtach í seo agus ar eagla go mbeadh aon mhithuiscint in a thaobh, is mian liom an feagra a thabhairt i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla.

As this is an important question and lest there by any misunderstanding I desire to give the answer in both Irish and English.

Is é an costas breise a bheidh ar an Stát-Chiste de bharr Aire ar leith a cheapadh do Roinn na Gaeltachta ná an difir idir thuarastal Rúnaí Pharlaiminte agus tuarastal Aire, lúide, dar ndóigh, na hasbhaintí iomchuí ag na Coimisinéirí Ioncaim.

The additional cost to the Exchequer which will result from the appointment of a separate Minister to the Department of the Gaeltacht will be the difference between the salary of a Parliamentary Secretary and the salary of a Minister, subject, of course, to the appropriate deductions by the Revenue Commissioners.

Surely there are other expenses apart from salary? There must necessarily be other expenses. That is not a full reply.

Tuigeann an Teachta an freagra anois.

The Deputy is not the Minister yet. He has sufficient jobs at present.

Would the Deputy indicate what additional expenses he has in mind?

There will not be any additional expenses because there is no work being done in the Department.

Ní féidir leis an Teachta sin fanúint ina thost.

Is this not a simple question? Will Deputy O'Donovan kindly have manners? If he has not got them in the University let him have them here.

Níl an iomarca agatsa.

The question I asked is surely a simple one. The answer I got is not an answer to the question. Why did I not get a complete answer?

The answer I gave is a complete answer to the Deputy's question.

That is not true.

Tuigim ón bhfreagra don cheist gurb é an costas breise an difir idir thuarastal Rúnaí Phárlaiminte agus tuarastal Aire. Nach bhfuil Stát-Sheirbhísí sa mbreis ann nach raibh ann cheana?

Níl an méid sin sa cheist ar chor ar bith. Tiubhraidh mé freagra cruinn ar cheist chruinn.

Ní féidir leis an Aire teacht timpeall ar an gceist mar sin. Nach bhfuil Stát-Sheirbhísigh ann anois nach raibh ansin cheana agus nach bhfuil tuarastal dhá ioc dóibh siúd?

Is ait an rud nach bhfuil fhios ag an Teachta, mar dhliodóir, an bhrí atá, leis an bhfocal "assignment".

Taobh amuigh den chostas breise de bharr na hAireachta nua a bheith ann tá costasaí eile ann mar a luas. Ní ceart don Aire an caimiléaracht seo a chur ar siúl.

Níl móran suime ag an Teachta i muintir na Gaeltachta.

Ni theaspáin an tAire aon suim iontu gur dearnadh Aire dhe. Táimse ag obair do mhuintir na Gaeltachta le os cionn deich mbliana fichead.