Concerning the Minister's reference to the ESB public information programme, would this include the flying out by them of an executive to Hamburg for the purpose of entertaining a number of Wexford county councillors, to take them to a specific nuclear plant adjacent to Hamburg and to attempt to influence them towards a favourable viewpoint prior to a planning decision being reached?

This is a very long question.

It requires elaboration. Can the Minister say who will be responsible for the cost of this public information programme including the exercise to which I have referred?

I am not aware of the trip to which the Deputy has referred but if he cares to table a separate question in this regard, I shall obtain the information for him. However, I have no doubt that the councillors in the Wexford area could not be bought off by a trip to Hamburg. I suspect they are much too reasonable and sensible for that. So far as the cost of the ESB public information programme is concerned, it will be borne by the board.

On a point of clarification, I did not suggest that the councillors were taken to Hamburg. They were already in Hamburg at an international gathering when the ESB decided to fly out one of their executives. I should like to hear whether the cost of the information programme will be passed to the consumer.