asked the Minister for the Environment the percentage rate increase he will allow Galway County Council to impose in 1979.

I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 463 of 2 November in which I stated my intention to issue appropriate guidelines to all rating authorities as soon as the relevant decisions have been taken.

(Cavan-Monaghan): I would have thought that after the two day meeting by the Cabinet decisions would have been taken. Is the Minister aware that estimates meetings will be held in December? As the law has not been changed, they are due to be held. Does the Minister appreciate it is impossible for these estimates meetings to be held unless the local authorities know what they will be allowed to raise?

It would not be useful for local authorities to advance con-sideration of their estimates too far at the moment.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Why not?

They realise that to finalise decisions regarding next year's expenditure in a realistic way they need to know the Minister's directive and they will be sensible enough to hold back from further decisions until this becomes available. Local authorities are of course given plenty of preliminary consideration in many instances as to the priorities to be assigned within their roads and other programmes.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Will the Minister give the information within the next week or ten days?

The information will be supplied as soon as the relevant deci-sions have been taken.

(Cavan-Monaghan): What decisions is the Minister referring to?

A decision as to the major increase.

(Cavan-Monaghan): The Minister made some reference to a prudent use of last year's moneys. Is the Minister not aware that most local authorities are overdrawn? They did not get enough last year to provide for the national wage agreement and so on and as a result they are now in debt.

That is a separate question, Deputy.

(Cavan-Monaghan): The Minister agrees that that is so.