asked the Minister for the Environment the amount of the grant which his Department is allocating this year to the Fire Prevention Council.

Provision has already been made for payment of a grant of £52,500 from my Department's Vote to the Fire Prevention Council in 1981 which will be matched by a contribution of a similar amount from the Federation of Insurers in Ireland. This does not include the cost of the activities of the special task force, headed by the Chairman of the Fire Prevention Council, the setting up of which I announced to the House at columns 1990 and 1991, volume 326, of the Official Report of 18 February 1981. The activities of the task force will be funded entirely by my Department.

Could the Minister say whether the allocation he mentioned matches the original allocation sought by the Fire Prevention Council?

The Deputy will be aware from his vast experience in local authority administration that it is very seldom that what is looked for is actually secured. However, the £52,500 being matched by the Federation of Insurers in Ireland will be more than adequate to meet the needs of the Fire Prevention Council.

I did not ask for a smart Alee answer. I asked for information. Can the Minister say whether the allocation which he has made matches the allocation sought by the Fire Prevention Council and, if not, the extent of the shortfall?

I am satisfied that the allocation being made will meet the programme of work that the Fire Prevention Council have on hand this year.

My question has not been answered. How much did they look for? The Minister has not answered either of my questions.

Would Deputy Quinn ask a supplementary?

I was aware that Deputy Boland's question had not been answered and I was going to ask from this side of the House, lest it was not heard accurately from that side of the House, how much the council asked for.

I have not got the exact figure in front of me in my brief.

Is the Minister saying that the essential information is not in the brief?

I have answered the question, yes.

A final supplementary from Deputy Boland.

Is it true that the Fire Prevention Coucil sought a budget of £146,000 for this year and that the Federation of Insurers in Ireland indicated their willingness to pay half of that budget but they were told by the Minister's Department that the maximum they were prepared to fund was a 5 per cent increase on last year's budget?

There is a 5 per cent increase being granted on this from last year's budget.

The Minister has made no attempt to answer any of the supplementary questions which he has been asked.

7.