asked the Minister for the Environment if he intends to meet his counterpart in Northern Ireland soon; and, if so, when.

19.

asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Belfast; if he will give details of his discussions with the Northern Ireland Minister for the Environment; and if he will describe the topics discussed with particular reference to the geographical areas involved.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 19 together.

I had a meeting with Mr. David Mitchell, MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for the Department of the Environment, Northern Ireland at Stormont on 17 May. An interesting and very useful discussion took place on a number of matters of common concern to the two Departments including the matters referred to below.

1. The future development of the Larne to Rosslare road as a European Route. It was agreed in particular to seek to expedite consideration by the EEC of the request made on 19 March 1982 for support from the Regional Development Fund for a joint study of the improvement of the Dundalk to Newry section.

2. The question of follow-up to the cross-Border study which has been carried out of communications in the Donegal-Derry area (taking account of the Government's decision to support an airport development at the Big Isle, Letterkenny) and the study of the Erne Catchment Area.

3. The system in operation in Northern Ireland for fixing rents of controlled dwellings and the general question of financial approaches and incentives for housing, including my Department's special mortgage subsidy scheme.

4. Monitoring and prevention of pollution affecting the Erne and Foyle catchments. It was agreed to extend exchanges on monitoring systems and results as well as liaison and information on arrangements for dealing with oil pollution of coasts.

5. Arrangements for industrial waste disposal, including liaison in relation to cross-Border movements of such waste, on which it was agreed to have further discussions.

The meeting was part of the work of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Council. The matters discussed will be followed up as appropriate at official level.

I welcome the Minister's reply, which gives us some material for study. Would the Minister accept every £1 spent either in sterling or in punts in the Border areas, North or South, would do most good for the advancement of these studies? Will the Minister bear in mind that we should have some allocation of finance as a matter of priority?

I accept the Deputy's point with regard to financial expenditure. That is why I am particularly anxious to see the Newry-Dundalk road study getting under way. I am also anxious to see a road from Rosslare to Larne and a cross-Border communications study in Donegal. An allocation of £1 million is available to the five Border counties.