asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will declare Skerries Harbour a State harbour and prepare plans as a matter of priority for the construction of a new harbour there.

Skerries Harbour is not one of the five harbours scheduled under the Fishery Harbour Centres Act, 1968 for development as a State fishery harbour centre and I do not propose to add to the list of such harbours.

I will provide a State contribution for the improvements needed at this harbour but I must obtain first an engineering report and an estimate of cost from the Office of Public Works on the works proposed. I understand that that office has placed a contract for a boring survey as a preliminary to drawing up the engineering report.

In view of the proposed extension of fisheries, would the Parliamentary Secretary accept that it is necessary to provide further major harbours?

That seems to be an extension of the question which deals only with Skerries Harbour.

With respect, I am merely referring to a statement made by the Parliamentary Secretary in his reply where he referred to major harbours.

The Chair is concerned only with the subject matter of the question.