asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware that senior staff of the Dublin Corporation were alleged to have informed the general purposes committee of the corporation that it would take at least three months under the recent directive issued by him to local authorities to close any dance hall which is in violation of fire safety regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I have had inquiries made from Dublin Corporation and I have been informed that no such statement was made to the general purposes committee.

Could the Minister say if the corporation were informed as to whether it was possible to take immediate action, or as to whether there would be a delay in this matter?

The question relates to a statement made by senior staff of the corporation. I have said that no such statement was made.

Deputy Horgan.

I am prepared to concede to Deputy Boland.

I have called Deputy Horgan. Would he please ask a supplementary question?

Could I ask the Minister if the statement which was not made had been made, would it have been true?

That is, hypothetical.

That is the point of the whole question.

Could I ask the Minister to assess whether there will be any unwarranted delay in the implementation of the regulations in relation to the closure of places which do not conform to adequate safety requirements along the lines the Minister announced in his speech setting up the Stardust inquiry. Will there be any unwarranted delay?

There will be no unwarranted delay.

What will the delay be?

There will be no delay on the matter.

A final supplementary from Deputy Boland.

Can the Minister say whether or not the corporation were informed by their officers that there would be a considerable delay in the procedure of examining dance halls and closing down any which were in violation of the provisions?

I am not so aware. The only information I have is that the statement which was reported was not made.

Ceist 5.

The Minister knows very well that the statement was made.

Is it not the case that the procedure for closing down such places of entertainment——

The dates on which five of the six posts of chief fire officer concerned became vacant were as follows——

——is a slow procedure? Would the Minister answer my supplementary.