asked the Minister for Defence if, in the light of the present intention to assign Naval corvettes to patrol drift-net salmon fishing, he will make a statement on the propriety of this new role being adopted by the Naval Services.

The use of Naval vessels to help control illegal drift netting for salmon is not a new role for the Naval Service. A decision to assist in this regard was made by my predecessor last year.

Has the Minister this legal power and have the Navy this legal power and, if so, what is the power?

We assist the officers in the Department of Fisheries and, in fact, they enforce the regulations.

I asked the Minister a specific question. Has he legal power to do this and what Act gives him that power?

I do not think there is any question of——

The Minister does not know.

The question is not very clear.

That information is not sought in the original question.

It is.

The question is wrongly worded. There are no corvettes in the Naval Service at the moment; and this is not a new role. The question was not couched in correct language. The Attorney General has advised that there is no question of any lack of power in regard to this matter.

Did the Attorney General state what Act gives the Minister the power?

The Attorney General gave it as his advice——

Will the Minister quote the relevant section?

——that this can be done.

The Minister is bluffing.

Question No. 20.

The Deputy did not ask that question.

I will ask it next week.

I should like to make it quite clear that it was my predecessor who initiated this matter, Deputy O. J. Flanagan.

The Minister's predecessor did not intervene.