asked the Minister for Labour the arrangements made to date to establish the National Hire Agency in accordance with the National Understanding for Economic and Social Development.

4.

asked the Minister for Labour when a National Hire Agency will be created and its proposed terms of reference.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 and 4 together.

Pending the introduction of legislation, I propose to form a private limited company to operate as the National Hire Agency, or under another appropriate title. The legal work involved is at an advanced stage.

I have had consultations with both sides of industry and I hope to finalise arrangements for the establishment of the agency in the near future.

The basic objective of the agency will be to seek out opportunities for the recruitment and placement of persons who are available for temporary work.

When the Minister says in the near future, does that mean two or three months or what?

Sooner than that, Deputy, in fact I would hope in a matter of weeks, certainly within a month.