asked the Minister for the Environment when and where new off-street multi-storey car parks will be provided in Dublin to replace off-street and on-street car parking facilities which have been withdrawn in recent years; and the Government grants that will be paid towards the capital cost thereof.

A multi-storey car park with 1,000 parking spaces, developed jointly by Dublin Corporation and Irish Life Assurance Company Ltd. in the ILAC Centre at Moore Street-Parnell Street, became operational last month. I understand the corporation recently accepted a tender for the provision of a 500-space multi-storey car park at a site owned by the corporation at Waterford Street-Marlborough Street, on which it is expected that construction work will commence in autumn 1982. I am further informed that arrangements are being made by the corporation to invite tenders by public advertisement for a further 500 space multi-storey car park on a corporation site at Drury Street—Lower Stephens Street. The corporation hope that construction on this site will commence in late 1982 or early 1983.

As the projects which I have mentioned involve private developers arranging for design, financing and construction, the question of providing Government grants towards capital costs does not arise. I am advised that these projects are part of a broader programme of the corporation which includes the extension of on-street controlled parking.