asked the Minister for Health if he will define the Government's priorities in the area of health.

The Government's priorities in the area of health were set out in paragraph 7.7 and 7.8 of the White Paper "National Development 1977-1980" which was presented to the House on 12 January 1978.

Will the Minister say if these are the priorities which are to be pursued over the next number of years, and, if so, if any financial allocation has been devoted to them in order to see them achieved?

The priorities are set out in the White Paper "National Development". As such they are now part of the overall general Government economic and social planning process and the necessary financial provisions will be made year by year.

Is the Minister not aware that, as well as giving this undertaking prior to the election that the Government would set out such priorities, there was also an undertaking that a certain stated proportion of GNP would be allocated to health?

That comes in under another question put down by the Deputy.