asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when he expects the State to ratify the Au Pair charter.

I cannot give the Deputy an undertaking on that matter at present. My Department have no objection in principle to the signature and ratification of the agreement. However, the implementation of the agreement would entail additional administrative responsibilities, for more than one Government Department, and specific arrangements therefore would have to be made. I have asked my Department to proceed as expeditiously as possible with the interdepartmental consultations which are continuing in this matter and I hope that progress can be made towards a resolution of the difficulties.

Has the charter not already been signed by us? I understood it had been signed but that we had not proceeded to the further step of ratification.

No, we have not yet signed or ratified the agreement. That is my information.