Will the Minister give the House the terms of the instruction which he says issued last Saturday to the local authorities——

That arose under the previous question. This question deals with the recoupment of expenses.

Let me finish my question.

If I let you finish it will be too late. You may ask a supplementary question on the recoupment of expenses.

Would the Minister confirm that the instruction contained information whether the Department would recoup the cost of these works?

Yes.

Will the Minister give the terms to the House?

They were not written; it was an oral instruction.

What was the oral instruction?

The circular issued from my Department last October listed the things local authorities——

No, Saturday, 9 January.

A circular went from my Department in October telling county councils what they could do to prepare against the eventuality of blizzards and what arrangements they should make. Most of the work had been done on Friday and we were checking on Saturday to make sure they were told to get on with the work. Deputy Godfrey Timmins phoned me at lunchtime on the Saturday to say there was some doubt in so far as his local authority was concerned and I told him directly over the phone what the position was.

Would the Minister agree that some local authorities were in doubt about whether additional expenditure incurred by them for this purpose would be recouped through the Department?

There should not have been any doubt, but I would point out that it is the responsibility of local authorities to keep roads clear. There is something remiss in the case of any local authority who would argue about sums of money when the roads were in the condition in which they were on that weekend.

Hear, hear.

I am calling Question No. 13.

I wish to ask a final supplementary.

I have called the next question.