asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy (a) if he is aware of reports of an informal association of businessmen prepared to assist in industrial development and in the rescue of firms in financial difficulties; (b) how he envisages the relationship, official and unofficial, between this group and the Government will develop; (c) how he expects the operations of this group to impinge on the work of the Industrial Development Authority and of Fóir Teoranta; and (d) whether it is officially or unofficially accepted that the operations of this group will generate expectations among its members in regard to the shaping of Government policy on building development or on any other matter.

I am aware of reports of an informal association of businessmen as referred to in the first part of the question. No approach has been made by such a group to me or to my Department.

I understand, however, that the Industrial Development Authority have been approached by some of the businessmen in question and the authority were informed of the group's preliminary intention to establish a fund for investment in Irish enterprise, particularly small enterprises.

Since the group do not appear to have yet clarified their idea I am not in a position to answer the remaining parts of the question.

I accept what the Minister says in regard to the fact that those ideas have not yet been formulated. Could he assure the House that the answer at least to section (d) of my question will be no, that no such expectations will be generated or entertained officially or unofficially among the members of the group?

I have said that the group's activities are at a preliminary stage. I refer the Deputy to the final paragraph of my reply where I said that they do not yet appear to have clarified their idea and I am not in a position to answer the remaining parts of the question.

I accept that. I am trying to get from the Minister a categorical assurance that there is no intention whatsoever, or reservation of mind as good as an intention, of allowing expectations to arise among these businessmen in regard to a possible capacity to influence Government or Department policy through their operations.

I could not be held responsible for what the expectations of any individual in the country are. The Government cannot be held responsible for expectations. We have not given any indication to anybody of any ground for those expectations.

If the Government are in contact with a group of businessmen who have those fairly grandiose projects, surely it is only fair to the businessmen to say now that, no matter what they propose or what they do, the Government and the Department will not be influenced by them in regard to the formation of their policy, and only fair to them not to allow them to form expectations about being able to influence policy?

5.