Have the Minister and his Department any plans in regard to the future management of the B & I? Will he say whether he considers it a satisfactory arrangement that an outside private company will have responsibility for the planning and development of the company? Now that the negotiations are complete will the Minister agree that some of the difficulties encountered in reaching a conclusion centred on personalities within the leadership of the officers' group of the workforce? Furthermore, will he agree that there is urgent need to reappraise the personnel and management levels within the B & I to ensure that in future no such difficulties will stand in the way of their profitmaking viability?

I have no intention of making any comment on personalities or clash of personalities within the B & I.

Does the Minister acknowledge their existence?

When the question of management comes to be decided the Government will take a decision on that but that question does not arise as of now.