Is the Minister aware that, in the European Parliament, the Commissioner in charge of regional matters pleaded with other countries to follow the example of the Government of Ireland when we were in office who, for the first time on the part of any Government in Europe, identified the regional fund as a separate item in the national budget; that the same Commissioner also deplored the irresponsible attacks made by Deputy Colley and his colleagues, who were then in opposition, and were besmirching the whole operation of the regional fund? It is one of the consequences of their conduct that the regional fund of Europe is at the pitifully low level it is because they never allowed thanks to be expressed for what the European Community was doing for Ireland.

I cannot allow the Deputy to make a speech.

A very good contribution.

I understand Deputy Ryan's disquiet at what has just been discussed here. The last assertion he made is so ridiculous and without any evidence whatever I am hardly called on to reply, except to point out that receipts from the regional fund have jumped enormously since this Government came into office, so that the basis on which Deputy Ryan made this allegation is clearly unfounded even by the results attained.

As far as the presentation of the accounts are concerned I cannot have any knowledge of what Deputy Ryan alleges was said to him by any member of the Commission. I regarded the method of accounting for the regional fund which was adopted by Deputy Ryan and his colleagues as a form of sleight of hand. I have announced methods by which it is proposed to make the position as clear as possible to the people. That is what I advocated when I was in Opposition and what I am doing from this side.

Would the Minister agree that the jump in the regional fund which occurred this year is due to the Parliament exerting their powers contrary to the desire of the Government here who wanted to make the Parliament incapable of doing anything and it is no thanks to the Government that this went through as they offered no assistance in regard to it?

There is no foundation whatever for that and Deputy FitzGerald knows it. Even if one took the thing at its face value, the incident to which he refers occurred before the increase that I referred to occurred, and Deputy FitzGerald appreciates that as well as anybody else. The reason I referred to the increase in the receipts was because Deputy Ryan tried to pretend that what had been said in Opposition by me and my colleagues had reduced the amount available from the regional fund when the facts showed that——

——that the sum was vastly increased under this Government. What is more——

Order, please.

——Deputy FitzGerald and Deputy Ryan persistently refused when in Government to present the accounts from the regional fund to the people in a way that clearly showed what was being received, how much was coming from the regional fund and how much from the Government.

It was in the capital budget every year. Will the Minister have some regard for the truth?

The Government have now taken steps to ensure that what should have been done is being done and that the people are being told the truth.

Is the Minister suggesting that the annual booklet of the capital budget did not disclose the regional fund as a separate item? If the Minister is alleging that, he is alleging what he knows to be an untruth.