asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry when the fish auction hall and ice plant will be erected in the Howth harbour development scheme.

While the development plan for Howth harbour envisages the erection of a fish auction hall, I am not yet in a position to say when work on that project can commence. As the Deputy is no doubt aware, a major contract for infrastructural work at the harbour comprising mainly dredging, land reclamation, pier and breakwater construction, is at present in progress and is due to be completed this year. The provision of the auction hall and other necessary buildings will then be considered in the light of the financial resources available for them and other major harbour improvement works elsewhere.

Work on the construction of the ice plant, which is being provided by an Bord Iascaigh Mhara, has commenced.

Can the Minister say if any money has been allocated for the ice plant?

The ice plant is now being built.

And the auction hall?

The auction hall and other buildings proposed for the development are separate matters from the main contract now in progress. When the main contract has been completed the buildings will then be considered. This is because the sites for the buildings depended on the completion of the work in relation to the infrastructure, the approaches to the harbour and the land within the harbour areas.

Can the Minister explain the delay in having the auction hall go ahead? I realise that the ice plant is already under construction. Is the money available for the auction hall?

It is not a question of money not being available or being available. The present contract did not include buildings. The contract included infrastructural works, as the Deputy is aware. When these have been completed consideration then will be given to the provision of the auction hall and other buildings which may be necessary for the development of the harbour. At the moment the other works must be completed before we proceed with the auction hall.

Could the Minister put a time limit on it?

The time limit is that we hope that the infrastructural work will be completed by the end of this year. That would include the levelling of ground which would be suitable for the provision of buildings. I hope it will be by the end of this year. It depends on the OPW and the speed with which they undertake the completion of the work.

When was the contract placed?

Six marks for that.

I have not got the information that the Deputy requires.

The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.

With your permission, Sir, I would like to raise on the Adjournment the question I asked about yesterday, the position of British pensioners living here who have not received pensions over the last ten weeks.

The Chair will communicate with Deputy Gallagher.

I had a Private Notice Question which you, Sir, disallowed on the grounds that it was not a matter of urgency.

That is right.

This was brought to our notice at a meeting today and I think it was generally known that this British firm who are not alone supplying goods at a low rate but supplying them free——

I cannot allow a speech on it and I cannot, I regret, allow my ruling to be questioned in the House. I conveyed to Deputy Leonard through my private secretary that the question did not meet the requirements of urgency laid down in Standing Orders. I cannot go further than that.

Can you tell me in private?

Of course I will.

I wish to raise the content of that question on the Adjournment.

The Chair will communicate with Deputy Leonard.

I also endeavoured to raise by Private Notice Question——

My reply to Deputy Leonard also applies to Deputy Brady.

I am entitled to request at least that the subject be raised on the Adjournment. That is my purpose in being here today. In view of the fact that rabies has reached the outer western European boundaries I want to bring up the subject that the chances are that it will reach this country very shortly. I want to ask the Minister who, I am glad to see, is here today——

You cannot ask the Minister.

May I raise that subject matter on the Adjournment?

The Chair will communicate with Deputy Brady. I have requests for about 15 different matters on the Adjournment.

Even if you have 150 subjects it would not dilute the effort I am making to raise this now.

If I had 150 I could not allow them all this evening.

I appreciate that, but to say that you have just 15 subjects——

I was making the Deputy aware that there is no certainty that his would be allowed.

I am prepared to raise it tomorrow or on Friday if necessary.

In view of the fact that the Minister replied to my Private Notice Question on the 1.30 news, I would like to raise on the Adjournment the question of the transport of dialysis patients to hospitals, to give the Minister an opportunity of giving the same information to the House.

The Chair will communicate with Deputy Mac Giolla.

I would like to raise on the Adjournment the proposed redundancy payments to secretaries of old age pension committees who are to be made redundant in the near future by the Department of Social Welfare.

The Chair will communicate with Deputy Begley.

I will try to get in a bit for Deputy Brady on rabies at some stage if he is still around.