asked the Minister for Education the safeguards, if any, that exists in relation to the control of the use of buildings erected for St. Patrick's College, Maynooth and paid for out of moneys voted by the Dáil.

In the discharge of their responsibilities under the Higher Education Authority Act, 1971, the Higher Education Authority take appropriate steps in this regard by way of agreement with the trustees of the college.

Is the Minister declining to tell us what steps have been taken by the Higher Education Authority?

I am not actually declining to tell the Deputy. I am simply saying that there is a responsibility on the Higher Education Authority and I am satisfied that they have discharged it.

Will the Minister tell us, as a matter of fact, if the Higher Education Authority have taken any steps in relation to this subject matter?

They have.

Can the Minister tell us what they did and what response they got from the trustees?

My note says that the Higher Education Authority are satisfied that their agreement is adequate to safeguard public moneys.

If I put down a question to the Minister in relation to the specific safeguards does he not accept that there is a duty on him to provide the House with details of those safeguards for the expenditure of public moneys?

The question as it is framed asked if the Minister is satisfied and are the HEA satisfied that public moneys are being safeguarded. I am informed by the Higher Education Authority that they are satisfied on the basis of an agreement with them about the use of buildings provided out of public funds.

Would the Minister not agree that question No. 17 asked him to state the safeguards, if any, that exist? All he has told us is that an agreement exists between the HEA and the college and he has refused to give us details of the agreement. Surely the agreement provides safeguards? Will the Minister not give them to the House?

I am telling the House that the HEA, in relation to their duty and responsibility, felt that they had to have a safeguard with regard to the use of buildings provided out of public moneys. The HEA have assured me that they are quite confident in the agreement they have with the college that the buildings provided out of public moneys are safeguarded for the purposes for which the money was allotted.

Is there any reason why this agreement should not be laid on the table of the House?

I could not say offhand.

We will have to go into it in more detail.