asked the Minister for Finance if he will give some indication of the coast protection work in progress at present throughout the country.

5.

asked the Minister for Finance the number of people employed for the year 1984 in coast protection by his Department.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 5 together.

Maintenance of completed coast protection schemes is being undertaken in accordance with the provisions of the Coast Protection Act, 1963. There is no coast protection scheme under construction at present.

There were eight full-time employees and ten temporary employees engaged on coast protection works in 1984.

This country has suffered a lot from coast erosion. Has any allocation been made this year for coast protection work? It would seem rather strange if no allocation were made, in view of the seriousness of this problem.

That appears to be a different question.

As I said, there is no new scheme of works for this year. As the Deputy is aware from the debate on the national plan, the suspension of coast protection work for the duration of that plan refers only to the execution of new schemes under the Coast Protection Act of 1963. The maintenance of the present schemes goes on and there are a number of those.

Could the Minister give an indication when any new schemes will be undertaken? Would it be next year or at what time?

Preparation of present schemes is not suspended. It has been spelt out in the national plan that there will be no new schemes during that three years. The planning for the present schemes can continue. I am sure that the Deputy is well aware that this involves protracted preparation.