asked the Minister for the Environment if he intends to abolish the system of surcharge of local authority officials.

I do not at present propose the abolition of the system under which illegal or unfounded payments may be surcharged by a local government auditor against the person responsible for the payments, but such matters are kept under review.

Would the Minister, who was, I understand, secretary of the Local Government and Public Services Union, not feel that this imposition on a particular category of workers is an unfair one in contrast to workers in many other industries? Would he not consider that some action should be taken on this soon or at least within the terms of any local government reform?

This is something that is not used very often and, perhaps, the Deputy does not realise that. By way of correction, I should like to state that I was not secretary of the Local Government and Public Services Union; I was branch secretary.