asked the Minister for Economic Planning and Development how many requests for advice, and on what matters, have been addressed since its establishment to the National Board for Science and Technology by himself or by the Government.

In general practice the working relationships of the board with Ministers and Departments will not be on the basis of individual requests for advice. Rather there will be continuous process of consultation and exchange of information and advice.

One purpose in establishing the board is to encourage and promote interaction in the area of science and technology between the operational Departments and Institutions, so as to secure the best overall results from their national efforts in these fields.

The board has, on request, advised various Departments on such topics as the funding of activities under the oil "scholarship" scheme, Irish involvement in various international and EEC research and development programmes, and inter-governmental co-operation agreements. The board has also been asked to carry out a study on the scientific and technical aspects of telecommunications activities in Ireland.

I thank the Minister for his reply. Would the Minister acknowledge that the Act which set up this board contains, in the section which describes the function of the board, its specific duty to advise, on request, a Minister or the Government? I simply want to know whether any such formal requests has yet been made although the board has been in existence for over a year? Surely that is not too difficult for the Minister to answer.

I have, in my reply, attempted to deal with the Deputy's question, which I fully appreciate and accept. I have tried to indicate that the bulk of the board's work will continue on the basis that I described, namely, this continuing process of consultation and so on. I did also add, in the last paragraph, that the board has, on request, advised various Departments on such topics as, and I listed some examples.

They are not contemptible examples; I am not trying to make little of them. Is the Minister definitely telling the House that the National Board for Science and Technology is now seised of the question—I think the expression is—whether telecommunications should be left with the Department of Posts and Telegraphs or removed from them to some part of the private sector, or some other structure?

That is a separate question.

The Minister gave this information. I want to know what it is.

The Deputy does not have to depart from the original question.

I am sorry; I do not want to wrangle. The Minister told the House a minute ago, in answer to my question, and he gave a few instances—I do not know what is the depth of the consultation—which may be of some substance and he ended with the instance of the telecommunications structure which has been very much in the news recently. I am asking the Minister if he will tell the House, arising from the information he gave himself, whether the National Board for Science and Technology is now advising the Government on the future of the telecommunications branch of the public service?

No, Sir, I did not say that. The relevant sentence of my reply was that the board have been asked to carry out a study of the scientific and technical aspects of telecommunications activities in Ireland. Might I suggest that since the next question might be relevant to Deputy Kelly's supplementaries, the Chair would allow further supplementaries at that point.

12.