The Minister specifically restricted the scheme this year to schemes eligible for EEC grant aid as well. As the sum amounts to only £2.15 million, does the Minister not see the logic in granting additional sums to the local improvements scheme from social welfare funds to provide jobs for very necessary schemes and works?

The Minister for the Environment cannot allocate money from social welfare funds to this area. However, as I said, the task force are considering methods by which the section of social welfare to which taxation is contributed by the Minister for Finance can be used for the purposes which the Deputy have mentioned.

When does the Minister expect the task force, to which he has referred twice today, to be available and taking decisions?

I cannot give that information to the Deputy. The task force are continuing their work in this area which has, naturally, been interrupted by the European elections but they work on a weekly basis and I hope there will be results fairly soon.

Does the Minister accept that to give an excuse that there is an election at present and that Ministers are electioneering and not tackling the nation's business with nearly a quarter of a million unemployed——

That is argument.

Would they not be better occupied doing what they are paid to do?

That is not the question.

It is very much the question. The Minister is telling us that they are not prepared to tackle the nation's business because they are electioneering.

The Chair is ruling that that is argument and he is calling Question No. 22.