asked the Minister for Agriculture if he has given instructions to officials of his Department to insist on reinforced high tensile steel being used in the construction of silage pits and underground slurry tanks; if he is aware that the additional costs involved are not being covered by increased grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

No such instructions have issued. The position is that the costings used to determine the amount of grant aid for the construction of silage pits and underground slurry tanks provide for the use of reinforcing material of a certain minimum standard. It is not a condition for grant aid that high tensile steel be used in such structures.