asked the Minister for Local Government if he will sanction redundancy payment for gangers who have lost their employment with the Special Employment Schemes Office owing to the closure of this Office.

The county councils have been furnished with lists of the gangers employed by the Special Employment Schemes Office and have been requested to give them priority in the recruitment of gangers and other supervisory workers under the Local Improvements Scheme. The position of these gangers under the redundancy payments scheme is at present being examined and it is hoped to have a decision in the near future.