asked the Minister for the Environment if he has issued any directive to local authorities regarding increases in staff that might have the effect of deferring the provision of staff to man the new fire station at Tallaght, County Dublin.

I have issued no such directive to date. With regard to the provision of staff for the new fire station at Tallaght, Dublin Corporation, in reply to a specific inquiry from them, have been informed that, while in present circumstances consideration must be given to the relevance of the terms of the Minister for Finance's budget statement of 21 July last, these terms do not preclude them from recruiting additional staff in servant grades for the fire service provided this does not involve an increase in the overall numbers employed by the corporation in all their services as at 21 July 1981.

I missed part of the Minister's reply. In view of the vastly increased population in the new town of Tallaght, some 60,000 people, will the Minister's Department do everything to facilitate the opening of this fire station at Tallaght as soon as the building works are completed, which I think they will be shortly?

Dublin Corporation have been told what they can do in this regard. They have been told how they can recruit the staff.

As I understand the Minister's reply, he said the corporation can employ the extra firemen needed to serve in this station if they do not increase their overall staff complement. The Minister is saying that if they let some people go in one area they can get enough staff to serve in this fire station. Is that what the Minister is saying?

I am not saying anyone has to be let go. Dublin Corporation employ 8,000 people and, as long as they stick within that figure, they can employ however many firemen are needed for the Tallaght fire station. That is a great number of people.

It is, and they are doing some excellent work.

I am sure that is correct.

Do the extra number of people needed in Tallaght have to come out of fire service numbers or out of the overall numbers employed?

So long as they are classfied as servants. I will read it again: "... these terms do not preclude them from recruiting additional staff in servant grades for the fire service provided this does not involve an increase in the overall numbers employed by the corporation in all their services as at 21 July 1981."

Would the Minister not agree it is time the old-fashioned word "servants" was abolished from the Statute Book? I find it very offensive that one person is an officer and another is a servant.

I agree with that. It would mean many other changes. I do not disagree with the Deputy.

May I suggest——

I have allowed Deputies a great deal of latitude. Ceist 14