asked the Minister for Defence the number of occasions during 1976 that Ministers, other than himself, used Air Corps helicopters; and the date, the Minister concerned and the cost of each trip.

10.

asked the Minister for Defence the occasions in the past 12 months that Army helicopters were made available to members of the Government or Parliamentary Secretaries.

I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 9 and 10 together.

As the reply to the questions is in the form of a tabular statement, I also propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate the statement in the Official Report.

Following is the statement:

In the 12 months ended 10th May, 1976, members of the Government and Parliamentary Secretaries were conveyed in Air Corps helicopters as follows:—

*The cost of these fights has not been calculable in the time available.

How many items are there?

A very modest number.

Why not then give us the benefit of an oral answer?

The Department indicated to me that the proper thing was to give the answer in the form of a tabular statement and I accepted that suggestion.

You are the boss; you are supposed to tell the Department what to do.

I do not think I should depart from my original statement, that Deputies will get the tabular statement and if anybody is not satisfied and wishes to raise the matter with me, he may do so in the debate on the Estimate and I will accommodate him. If anybody wants to raise any other matter with me I shall accommodate him by letter.

How many items are on the tabular statement?

Fifteen.

No wonder the Minister did not want to read them.

The Leader of the Opposition is playacting and he should not do that in his position. That is why he is where he is.

Could the Minister indicate why the Parliamentary Secretary used a helicopter to go to Killarney?

I have not got that information.