asked the Minister for the Environment if, prior to granting approval for the new buildings proposed for the Wood Quay sites in Dublin, the Government had access to detailed costings and specifications of the proposed council offices.

Ministerial approval was sought in respect of this project under a number of heads.

The corporation acquired the site for civic offices by compulsory purchase order, and this was confirmed by the Minister for Local Government in 1964. This decision related solely to the intended use of the site and no details of the offices proposed were required.

Subsequently the corporation issued an invitation to developers to submit proposals for the construction—including its financing—of the offices. The proposals would have to relate to a corporation brief which required developers to take account of the architectural and environmental characteristics of the site. A number of proposals were developed and six firms were invited to submit detailed architectural and financial proposals. These were assessed by a special board of assessors and one firm was adjudged the best. This firm then submitted the proposal for formal planning permission to the corporation. It was granted, but appeals were lodged against it by a number of third parties. The appeal then lay to the Minister for Local Government. In connection with the appeal, which related to various planning considerations, the information furnished included a copy of the brief prepared for the corporation by the developers, a copy of the report by the city manager on the recommendations of the assessors, and detailed plans and specifications including a model of the proposed development; the city manager's report included comments on the financial implications. The Minister granted permission, subject to conditions, in 1972.

The firm which had put up this proposal was unable to follow through on its financing proposals, which had provided for a lease of the property to the corporation with an option to them to purchase. The corporation then decided to proceed with the scheme themselves.

No specific State grant or subsidy is payable towards schemes for local authority offices and local authorities are therefore not subject to any State sanction in regard to them except in so far as they may decide to finance a scheme by way of a loan, to which ministerial sanction is required. In examining an application for sanction to a loan in such a case, it is not the practice to go into detailed costings and specifications but rather to consider the overall need for the scheme and its general financial implications. Sanction to the corporation's borrowing proposal issued from the Minister for Local Government on 19th April, 1973. The proposal involved the raising of a bridging loan to finance the full scheme, on the basis that long-term loan arrangements would be settled after the bridging period of seven years.

Subsequently, in November, 1973, the Government of the time considered that the use of the site for civic offices should be reappraised having regard to various planning and archaeological considerations. The corporation was asked for a full report accordingly, and in the subsequent examination an amended layout was submitted by the corporation providing for a redistribution of the office buildings. Following consideration of the subject by the Government in 1974, the corporation were advised in February, 1974, that there would be no objection to the amended scheme proceeding. The report submitted on this occasion did not involve detailed costings and specifications.

In April, 1977, the corporation submitted revised loan proposals, taking account of the substantial increase in costs that had occurred since 1973. They now proposed to undertake the scheme in phases, and for the first phase proposed the borrowing of a sum over a period to 1980, the borrowing to be repaid in the period 1981 to 1984 out of revenue. As in the case of the previous loan proposed, it was not necessary to go into detailed costings and specifications. The sanction of the Minister for Local Government issued on 11th May, 1977.

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