asked the Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism if he will consider extending the terms of reference of the National Board for Science and Technology to allow that board to carry out projects for parliamentary committees.

The terms of reference of the National Board for Science and Technology are set out in the relevant statute, the National Board for Science and Technology Act, 1977. A function for carrying out projects for parliamentary committees is not explicitly referred to in the list of the board's functions under that statute. However, there is a provision that the board shall advise their Minister at his request on any matter related to science or technology. It would be open, therefore, to a parliamentary committee to approach me with a request for the NBST to undertake tasks for them and I could in turn, under the terms of the statute, request the board to act accordingly.

Such assistance as the NBST could render would, of course, be subject to the condition that they were carrying out their own tasks satisfactorily and could, within the limit of their capacity and resources, undertake the particular work requested.

It is hardly necessary to add that in such an exercise the appropriate procedures of the Oireachtas should be observed and any necessary approval from the Minister for the Public Service obtained.