asked the Minister for Local Government the present position regarding the proposal to extend the central fire station at Droichead Nua, County Kildare.

The proposal has been under examination in consultation with the local authority. I hope to be in a position to convey a decision on the proposals, as they now stand, in the near future.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary say why it has been under consideration since 20th October, 1975? Does he not think it fortunate that there has not been a major fire there in the meantime?

The Deputy is quite correct—it was applied for in October, 1975, but there was a question of providing accommodation in the fire station for civil defence training and that has complicated matters. The two Departments have been trying to get something worked out. It is a question of grants as between the Department of Defence and the local authority and also of the size of the accommodation to be allocated for civil defence training.

Do I detect a conflict of interests between the Ministers for Local Government and Defence?

No.

Seeing they belong to different parties——

That has not occurred to me.