What is the Minister's attitude to the number of overholders who are in occupation in the Curragh and has he any plans to rehouse them? Further, would he agree with his predecessor, not the present Ceann Comhairle, that Army personnel are not getting a fair crack of the whip when it comes to local authorities housing them?

No, I would not agree with that at all. I visited the camp last Thursday for the whole day. I did not know if the problem existed and I wanted to find out about it. Kildare County Council are very co-operative with regard to this situation.

The Minister's predecessor would not have been satisfied.

There are grounds in regard to the first part of the Deputy's question about overholders. That is a problem with regard to Army housing, of course. Again, the local authority try to deal with this matter as expeditiously as possible.

Would the Minister have a word with his colleague, the Minister for the Environment, with a view to making more accommodation available?

I certainly shall. I made representations on the Army's behalf when I was Minister for the Environment.

Not very successfully.