asked the Minister for Energy if the Government intend to purchase the entire Bula Mine ore body from the receivers.

At this juncture the Government do not intend to purchase the assets of Bula Limited from the receiver. However, the Government wish the Bula ore reserves to be developed as soon as possible and will continue to keep the situation under review in the light of further developments.

Has the attention of the Minister of State been drawn to reports that a number of meetings have taken place on this matter between his Department and the receiver, and has his attention been drawn to reports stating that negotiations are at a very advanced stage? What are the Minister's views on those matters?

I answered the question put down to me. The Deputy has asked me other questions which do not appear in the question.

I asked if the Minister's attention had been drawn to reports that the negotiations for the purchase of Bula are at an advanced stage.

That is not the question asked.

In the Chair's view it arises reasonably out of the question.

Would the Deputy ask a supplementary, then?

I will ask the supplementary for the third time. Has the Minister's attention been drawn to reports that negotiations for the purchase of Bula are at an advanced stage and will the Minister comment on those reports and tell the House at exactly what stage the negotiations are?

I am not prepared to give any information in regard to this. Bula Limited is in receivership and it is up to the receiver to act in the best interests of those he represents. The Deputy can take it from the reply which I have given to the House that I will be keeping a close eye on all developments with a view to ensuring that the ore reserves will be developed as soon as possible. That is a prudent position for me to take in the circumstances. I am not willing to make observations on reports or to give any indication regarding the state of reported negotiations.

The Minister has now admitted that negotiations are at an advanced stage.

I have not. I have been careful in the wording I used.

Are negotiations at an advanced stage?

I am not prepared to comment——

——on what stage the receiver is at in his negotiations. My Department are anxious to ensure that the Bula ore body is developed as soon as possible. We are keeping a watching brief on the situation.

Can the Minister of State confirm whether or not he or his officials have met with the receiver with a view to having negotiations about the take-over of Bula Mines from the receiver?

The Deputy can take it that the receiver has met officials in my Department. After all, we are shareholders in Bula Mines Limited and it would be normal that the receiver should meet with officials of my Department. Beyond that I will not become involved in what the Opposition would like to elicit or infer from their questions.

I am not in the business of inferring anything, but in the business of representing the taxpayers who are 49 per cent shareholders. We have a right to elicit information at Question Time in relation to how the Minister is looking after their interests. Can I take it in relation to earlier statements made on this question——

Deputy Reynolds——

I will lead up to the question in a minute. I have to give the background in case the Minister tries to make out that he does not know what I am talking about.

This is becoming far too long and time consuming.

All through the previous negotiations the Minister referred to a back-up plan. We saw the results of that.

I am ruling that out of order.

When the deal failed they did not have a back-up plan.

If the Deputy has a question he should put it but he cannot make a speech about it.

Did the Secretary of the Minister's Department go to Finland after the collapse of the negotiations to try to negotiate a deal with a Finnish company?

I am sure Deputy Reynolds as a former Minister will understand when I say that it would be wrong for me to comment on ongoing negotiations——

Answer the question.

——when a comment would affect such negotiations. This is a matter of normal commercial confidentiality and one that I intend to maintain in this House.

The Chair asked me to ask a straight simple question and I did so——

The Deputy got an answer. He may not like it but——

I did not get an answer.

There is nothing the Chair can do about it. Question No. 4.

This House is entitled to know if the Secretary of the Minister's Department went to Finland to negotiate a deal.

I can do nothing about the Minister's answer.

The Chair asked me to ask a simple question. I am asking it again.

Question No. 4.

The Minister would not answer the question but he cannot keep it covered up.

Will the Tánaiste please answer Question No. 4?