asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a comprehensive statement on the relationship between a company (details supplied) and the National Building Agency, especially with regard to the measures he intends to take to safeguard employment and housebuilding capacity and to avoid repetitions of this affair in future.

29.

asked the Minister for the Environment if, in view of the inadequate service provided by private enterprise in the construction industry (details supplied), he will now take the initiative in promoting direct labour schemes by local authorities, and/or reconstruct the National Building Agency as a State-owned construction company.

I propose with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle to take Question Nos. 28 and 29 together. The affairs of the company named by the Deputy are under examination at present by the High Court which has appointed a provisional liquidator. I am precluded, therefore, from making any statement about, or taking any steps concerning, these affairs.

I have already approved proposals submitted to me by the National Building Agency, based on competitive tendering for the completion of work on four of the sites—Shanganagh, County Dublin; Curraheen, Cork; Springfield, Tallaght; and Ronanstown, County Dublin. Their proposal for the remaining site in Bunree, Ballina, will be submitted to me in a matter of days. The agency should, therefore, be in a position to have work recommenced in a short time on all the sites.

Where large building construction projects of this size are entered into is it not the practice to investigate the equipment, administration, personnel and financial capacity of the company? How is it that the NBA employed a company which went into liquidation?

The company referred to were bonded in the usual way.

Is not the usual process to investigate the credentials? Has the Minister made any attempt to find out from the NBA if this process had been carried out by them, and if so what went wrong with the NBA assessment?

This concerns a wellknown company and the NBA were not the only people who had them on public contract. Dublin Corporation awarded them two contracts. They were a reputable company and there was no difficulty in having them bonded. As I told the Deputy, Dublin Corporation, too, awarded them contracts.

Is there not a prima facie case for saying there was something wrong in the assessment, and has the Minister taken it up with the NBA?

I cannot comment on what happened in the past before the professional liquidator was appointed because the company's affairs are in the hands of the liquidator. The NBA have taken up the matter of having the contracts completed in all four cases.

I understand the Minister to say that this company were bonded. Would the Minister stand over that statement or is he aware that he has been misled?

I stand over my statement.

Is the Minister aware the managing director of the NBA told the Housing Committee of Dublin Corporation that this company were not bonded?

This is not the sort of thing that should be bandied around the House.

The Minister has given information which is contrary——

I will not permit any further supplementaries on this.

I stand over my statement.

Is the Minister aware that the managing director of the NBA gave contrary information to the Dublin Corporation Housing Committee?

I ask the Minister to proceed with the next question. We will not have individuals' affairs discussed at Question Time.