Can the Minister tell me if the £2.7 million for Shannon includes the cargo handling facility which Aer Lingus propose to provide at Shannon? Is there any provision to extend the mail order facility at Shannon and a number of other projects which are awaiting development there? Can the Minister give an overall figure of the total to be spent in capital developments at Shannon in 1986? My understanding is that projects under way or about to commence at Shannon will not be covered by the £2.7 million. Is it proposed to borrow some money?

The first thing to be said about Shannon is that it is booming. Last year and the year before they had extraordinary successes — they were their best years ever and I am glad to have presided over that success story as well as others.

It was Aeroflot.

The £2.7 million will be spent either by Aer Rianta or the Department. The breakdown is as follows: new fuel storage facilities, known as the Western Fuel Farm, £1 million to be spent by Aer Rianta; and further construction projects will account for £1.15 million; electronic equipment will account for £560,000. The total will be £2.7 million. That would not include any expenditure by Aer Lingus or other companies or agencies.

The Minister will put up £1.5 million and the remainder will be borrowed by Aer Rianta.

The money spent by Aer Rianta will eventually rebound to the Exchequer because any surplus made by Aer Rianta will come back to the Exchequer. Any repayments of borrowings would come out of the Exchequer, unless the investment makes a profit, as we expect it to do on this occasion. Not only would there be no cost to the Exchequer but there would be a profit to Aer Rianta, and therefore to the Exchequer.

This began as a simple little statistical question but it has blossomed forth into a debate——

Is the £1 million for the cargo handling facility development by Aer Lingus included in the Minister's figure? Will that be provided by Aer Lingus under a separate heading?

Yes. The question relates to proposals for airports and is covered by two headings, money spent by Aer Rianta or money spent directly by the Department for equipment, etc.

Like Deputy Daly, I wish to put a question about capital work. The Minister has said that the £2.7 million does not include a provision for freight facilities for independent users as distinct from Aer Lingus. I am satisfied that approximately £5 million will be spent at Shannon this year, a substantial boost to the construction industry, but would the Minister explain if the additional freight facilities for independent carriers will be included in this year's programme?

I do not have the answer to that. There is a provision of £1.15 million for other construction programmes and equipment. I can get details for the Deputy later in the afternoon.