Arising, not from the answer since that is not available to us, but from the question, is the Parliamentary Secretary aware of the situation whereby the owners of boats bought in Norway are experiencing difficulty in regard to repayments because of the devaluation of the £?

There are no restrictions imposed on skippers regarding where they might have their vessels built but we have indicated that where possible boats should be built in Ireland. I am satisfied that the Irish boatyards are capable of meeting requirements in full except for steel boats. In the not-too-distant future, perhaps next year, they shall be able to meet steel boat requirements. I do not know whether we have been pursuing the correct policy in not stipulating where skippers should have their boats built. Because the number of boats built abroad for Irish skippers is relatively small we have not imposed a clampdown so far as grants or other aids are concerned. However, this is something that might be reviewed particularly when we reach the stage of building steel boats here. As I said earlier, the demand for steel boats is a relatively new concept.

The Parliamentary Secretary seems to have misunderstood my question. I was referring to boats purchased, perhaps, in 1972 and in respect of which skippers are now having difficulty in meeting repayments because of devaluation. What do the Department intend doing to help?

I want to deal with other questions also. Brevity, please.

That is something the skipper should have taken into account when he ordered the boat.

It is An Bord Iascaigh Mhara.

Order.