asked the Minister for the Environment if he intends to establish a Dublin transportation authority as outlined by the three local authorities in the Dublin region.

I assume that the Deputy is referring to the proposals submitted by Dublin Corporation on 8th March, 1976 to the Departments of Local Government and of Transport and Power, recommending the establishment of a transportation authority for the Dublin area. I would refer the Deputy to the reply given to him on this subject by the Minister for Tourism and Transport on 18th October. I would remind him that the issue of responsibility for public transport does not come within the functions of my Department.

As regards functions with which my Department are concerned, my predecessor indicated in his reply to the corporation on 19th August 1976, his willingness to have certain traffic and parking functions under the Road Traffic Acts transferred by order under those Acts to the local authorities concerned, which they could operate jointly or separately, at a date convenient to them. It is open to these authorities to pursue that matter with my Department.

Would the Minister not agree that as a result of there being split responsibility for transport between the Department of Tourism and Transport and the Department of the Environment, the sufferer in the ultimate is the commuter in the Dublin region and would he not consider that action must be taken immediately to establish some form of transport authority? Could he clarify what is meant in the Fianna Fáil manifesto which states that they will establish a transport authority?

That question should be put down to the Minister for Tourism and Transport as he is responsible for that section.

Could I ask if the present Minister for the Environment is in agreement with his predecessor regarding the offer made to transfer certain powers under the roads Acts and so on to the local authority and would be be prepared to specify the extent of those powers and the timetable under which they might be transferred?

Is the Deputy asking if I am in agreement with my colleague?

With his predecessor.

As I said in my reply, the content of the question is not my responsibility. It is the responsibility of another Minister.

On a point of clarification, the Minister stated that the previous incumbent of the Customs House did offer to transfer certain powers under the roads Acts. What is the position of the present Government and would the Minister go farther than what was offered in the reply of Minister Tully?

I also said in my reply that it is open to the local authorities to pusue those matters with my Department and when they do I will be prepared to have a look at them.

Does the Minister accept, in the context of the newly-named Department of the Environment with presumably concern about environmental matters, that transport has a part to play in that? Would he be able to say what his attitude is to the impact of transportation issues in his Department?

That is a totally separate question.

It arises out of the Minister's reply.

I cannot compel him to answer it.