asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy the amount expended by his Department, or by any body financed by his Department, on advertising to promote energy conservation in the years 1976, 1977 and 1978; and up to 15 March in the year 1979.

Expenditure on advertising to promote energy conservation by Department of Transport and Power and subsequently Department of Industry, Commerce and Energy has been as follows for the years in question:— 1976, £70,645; 1977, £42,077; 1978, £18,816; 1979 to date, £150.

No body financed by my Department has expended money on such advertising.

Why has there been a reduction in the amount allocated for this year?

It is intended that the sum for this year will be greater than last year.

If £150 has been spent in the first three months of the year in the midst of an oil crisis it does not auger very well for the rest of the year.

The Deputy will be aware that it is not just a question of advertising but that there are other matters involved as well.

Would the Minister not agree that if he is cutting the amount allocated to advertising in the middle of an oil crisis it indicates that the Minister and his Government are not very serious?

Before we move on I would like to point out to Deputy Bruton that it is not in order to argue across the floor ignoring the Chair. The Chair has been overly tolerant but there are limits.

In reply to Deputy Bruton's question, I would make the point that a more relevant figure should be the total expenditure on conservation during the years in question and I can relate them to the Deputy. In 1976 the total expenditure on conservation was £98,000; in 1977 the amount was £160,000; in 1978 the amount was £115,000 and in 1979 it is estimated there will be an expenditure of £422,000. That should give an indication of the importance being given to conservation.

But the Minister has still only spent £150 this year—a princely sum.

(Cavan-Monaghan): Might I ask the Minister if I heard him correctly when he said that the amount in round figures spent on advertising was £70,000 in 1976; £42,000 in 1977; £18,000 in 1978 and £150 to date in this year? If that is so would the Minister not agree that it would appear that so far as encouraging people to conserve energy is concerned, the Minister's Department has simply ceased to operate.

The Deputy heard me correctly with regard to the figures I gave but, so far as the importance being given to conservation by the Department is concerned, the relevant figures are the figures that I just gave to Deputy Bruton. In 1976 £98,000 was spent on conservation; in 1977 £160,000 was spent; in 1978 £115,000 was spent and in 1979, to underline the importance being given to this whole question by the Government, it is estimated that £422,000 will be spent.

The Minister calls it energy conservation money but we do not know where it is actually going.

That is not eliciting information; it is just arguing. I am calling the next question.

(Interruption.)

(Cavan-Monaghan): Would the Minister not agree that, even on the overall figures he has given, there seems to be a drastic drop between 1977 and 1978? It has fallen from £160,000 to £115,000. Is that not an indication that the Minister and his Department are doing nothing about it?

A more important figure would be the figure for 1976 when the Deputies' Government were in power. The figure was £98,000 as distinct from £422,000 to be spent this year.

(Cavan-Monaghan): It has not been spent yet.

31.