asked the Minister for Economic Planning and Development when a national economic plan will be produced by his Department.

It is intended to produce an initial national economic plan by the end of the year. A more comprehensive plan will be produced during the course of 1978.

Does the end of the year mean the end of the calendar year?

Yes.

So it will be within four weeks?

Yes. I would emphasise an initial national economic plan. I believe it is important to get some sort of document available. I do not regard it as a fully comprehensive detailed plan but it will be a first step.

Can the Minister give any indication, if it is an initial document, what the heads at least will be?

Certainly. We will set out the usual general development objectives of the Government and indicate the general nature of the policies pursued and the type of results envisaged. We will make some attempt to spell out the impact on the various sectors.

Will any consultation take place with the interests involved, the trade unions and the employers, in the preparation of this?

For the initial one the answer is "No" because the time span will not permit it. There is a technical requirement to produce a document of some sort from the Government side before the end of the year as part of our participation in the Regional Fund from the EEC an for that reason I want to have a document available to the Community before the end of the year. It is my intention that there will be full consultation before a more comprehensive document is finalised in the course of 1978.

Will the Government make time available here for a debate on such a document in the New Year?

That is a separate question.

I would certainly welcome such a debate, but it is a separate question.