asked the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism (a) the proposals he has for the merging of boards of semi-State bodies, and (b) when it is proposed to bring these before the House.

The White Paper on Industrial Policy outlines the Government's intention to establish joint boards for the IDA and CTT and the IIRS and NBST. I will be seeking the early co-operation of the bodies in question in seeing these objectives realised as soon as possible.

Will the Minister say when it is proposed to bring these matters before the House?

It was made quite clear in the White Paper that this was not necessarily going to be done the following morning. It is something that will be worked out over a period. We want to get a reasonably balanced representation on these boards and we do not want to disturb work in progress.

I appreciate what the Minister has said in his reply. However, the people in these semi-State bodies and I want to know when the Government will finalise this matter by bringing it before the House. I am suggesting it is not good for the morale of people in these semi-State bodies to have this matter left in limbo by the Government. That is why I am asking the Minister to tell us when the matter will be brought before the House.

The proposals to which I referred in my reply relate to creating common membership in the boards. As such, those propals do not directly affect the staff in the bodies although certainly they affect the members of the board. I am not going to set a time limit for my consideration of this matter. I will come to a decision when I think it is right.

The Minister has indicated the staff will not be affected in any way——

I did not say that.

He said that only the members of the boards would be affected. May I have an assurance from the Minister that the decision he has taken — and perhaps more are to follow — will not in any way affect the operation of the semi-State bodies in the meantime? Will he do everything in his power to ensure that their effectiveness will not be minimised in any way?

I said the merger of the boards would not affect the position of the staff in the bodies. That is all I said.