asked the Minister for Justice whether the special signs which were to be provided in the context of the crimewatch scheme are ready and available to local associations; if not, the reason; and if he will make a statement in this regard.

I am informed by the Garda authorities that Dublin Corporation have arranged that the first signs will be made available in about six weeks through local Garda superintendents.

Will the Minister state the reason the signs were not available? Obviously it could not have helped efforts to put the crimewatch scheme into operation if the signs were not available.

The Deputy is quite right in inferring that the signs have not been made available so far.

Why was that?

The reason was that we had to discuss with the Garda authorities and the local authority the funding for the signs, how the cost would be met and whether it would be met partly or wholly by the local authority.

I am now moving to priority questions.