The Minister will be aware that there are serious infrastructural deficiencies at present and at the same time we have a declining construction industry. In the area of roads, recent surveys have revealed that 25 per cent of our road structures are unsound and that there will be required £600 million on top of normal expenditure to prevent our roads structure from total collapse. At this stage is it not possible for the Minister to initiate a programme under which it would be possible to involve the construction industry and his Department which would ensure that the whole of our roads structure will not collapse within the next 12 months or so?

When the Tánaiste was in this Department he submitted a proposal to the Government to establish a road finance agency which is having consideration. If the Government so decide and such an agency is established it will encourage private interests to become involved in roads construction and will enhance that possibility. I am hopeful of a successful outcome to our discussions in that respect which I hope will meet the needs that the Deputy has put to me.