asked the Minister for Fisheries the sum available to BIM in the current Estimate for fisheries (a) for administrative purposes and (b) for development.

A sum of £1,790,000 is provided by way of grant-in-aid in the Fisheries Vote for 1977 for expenditure by An Bord Iascaigh Mhara on administration and current development. The apportionment of this sum between the two headings is primarily a matter for the board.

Surely the Minister can tell the House what the exact figure for administration is and the exact figure for development.

There is no exact figure because An Bord Iascaigh Mhara are in the position that they can apportion the sum between the two headings as the board decide.

Do I take it then the Minister is not in a position to tell the House what sum BIM have available for development in the current year?

In their wisdom An Bord Iascaigh Mhara can decide on the apportionment of the total sum of £1,790,000. This is an on-going situation. An Bord Iascaigh Mhara will decide how much they will give to each section.

Can the Minister give an approximate figure as to what will be available for development and what for administration in the current year?

That could not be given because the board decide and the board will probably decide some day next week when they meet. The board can change that decision at any point in time and give more money to one and less to another.

So the situation could arise in which no money would be available for development?

No, I do not think so. We are not tying the board down. The board can decide what it will spend on each. It is the board's decision, the board's responsibility and the board's right.

Is the Minister satisfied the money granted is sufficient?

It is more than last year.

Surely this is an unsatisfactory situation. The Minister cannot tell the House how much money in an Estimate provided by the Department of Finance for a Department which is now his direct responsibility will be made available for development in the current year?

It is not an unsatisfactory situation. We do not want to hogtie the board to exactly how much they must spend on each particular section.

Approximately—not exactly.

We want the board to be free to spend as much as they think desirable within the amount available. The board make their decisions from week to week and my function is to watch carefully to ensure the board do what we wish them to do.

May I ask one final supplementary?

I have given the Deputy a great deal of latitude.

In view of the fact that An Bord Iascaigh Mhara know the complement of people employed and the position in relation to wage agreements, to which the board will be bound, can the Minister not at this stage give some indication as to what will be available for administration and for development?

This is repetition.

That is a matter for the board and not for me.

Is it proposed to have a whole number of extra people employed this year?

I am happy with the employment situation at the present time and we will endeavour by every means at our disposal to ensure the position remains satisfactory.

It is extraordinary the Minister has no figure.

It is not extraordinary at all. The board are the operative arm. The board take the decisions. We keep a watch.

But the Minister is providing the money.

5.