asked the Minister for the Public Service if the Government have any proposal to set up a National Enterprise Board to in- increase investment and improve job opportunities.

The Government do not propose to establish a body called the National Enterprise Board. They are, however, actively considering the implementation of the proposal to set up an industrial development consortium as mentioned in the election manifesto.

Does this mean that the authority to be set up would co-ordinate the activities of all the boards which deal with State enterprise?

Basically it would not be a new board; it would be a co-ordination of existing institutions presided over by the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy.

Would the Minister agree that it would be better to have an overall co-ordination authority to lead these bodies in a specific direction rather than having the loosely co-ordinated body which the Minister appears to have in mind? With our present high unemployment situation it is necessary to innovate and to provide employment in new areas, and I believe that by co-ordinating all these bodies under one board the Minister would be in a better position to direct operations.

The co-ordination of efforts at industrial development is a function of the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy. It is his responsibility and we do not contemplate his abdicating that to another board. If better proposals emerge that will contribute to reducing unemployment, of course we will adopt them. The best way to do this at present is by setting up the industrial development consortium referred to in our election manifesto. The primary purpose is not the setting up of boards but the creation of genuine industrial jobs.

According to the Minister's last remark many boards set up have done a useful job. I see nothing wrong with setting up a board where necessary. I would not adopt the attitude that a board itself is wrong. If the Minister looks at this again, he will see a lot of merit in it.