asked the Minister for Finance the number of dog licences taken out in 1977.

: The number of dog licences taken out in the year 1977 was 147,896.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Can the Minister say how that compares with the previous year?

: That is a separate question.

: In the previous year it was 170,087.

(Cavan-Monaghan): That is a fall of about 30,000. Has the drastic cutback in Garda overtime anything to do with the drastic fall in the number of licences taken out this year?

: I think it unlikely. If that were so, I should imagine that we would have seen a considerable fall a few years back when there was a real cutback in Garda overtime.

(Cavan-Monaghan): The Minister is dealing with the year since the promise was made to increase Garda overtime.