asked the Minister for the Environment if he will outline the way in which he envisages the working relationship between An Foras Forbartha on the one hand and the Environment Awareness Bureau on the other to be affected by the establishment of the new Environmental Research Unit; if he will clarify precisely the proposed relationship between the Environment Awareness Bureau and the new Environmental Research Unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter having regard to the budget of the bureau for 1988 and 1989 and the commitments to existing personnel and their contracts of employment.

19.

asked the Minister for the Environment if he will clarify precisely the working relationship he envisages between the Environmental Research Unit which he has established by way of Statutory Instrument No. 20 of 1988, and An Foras Forbartha which clearly will continue to exist as a legal entity until the end of June 1988 at the earliest; the precise relationship in terms of financial, administrative and research functions between the two bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

22.

asked the Minister for the Environment if he will give the names of the five persons he proposes to appoint to the managment committee of the Environmental Research Unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

29.

asked the Minister for the Environment if it is proposed to transfer the legal obligations and liabilities currently enjoyed by An Foras Forbartha in respect of any contracts for property including St. Martin's House, Waterloo Road, Dublin 4, to the new Environmental Research Unit; if so, when he envisages such a transfer to take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

31.

asked the Minister for the Environment if he will confirm that all employees of the Environmental Research Unit shall hold his or her employment on such terms and conditions which are commensurate with the existing terms and conditions which they currently enjoy with An Foras Forbartha if they are so employed by An Foras Forbartha; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

48.

asked the Minister for the Environment the direction which he considers appropriate in relation to the keeping and auditing of accounts and finances generally for the Environmental Research Unit which he has established; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

59.

asked the Minister for the Environment if it is proposed to automatically incorporate by way of employment all persons currently employed by An Foras Forbartha within the framework of section 5 (1) of the Statutory Instrument establishing the Environmental Research Unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

60.

asked the Minister for the Environment the amount of money which he proposes to pay to the Environmental Research Unit for 1988; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

126.

asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Environmental Research Unit (Establishment) Order, 1988 and indicate the expected degree of activity of the unit; its precise relationship with local authorities; and the way in which that interfacing will be structured.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 19, 22, 29, 31, 48, 59, 60 and 126 together.

The functions of the Environmental Research Unit are specified in the Environmental Research Unit (Establishment) Order, 1988, which was laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas on 12 February 1988. I have appointed the following officers of my Department to be the management committee of the new unit: Mr. Desmond Malin (Chairman); Mr. Brian Campbell; Mr. Brendan O'Donoghue; Mr. Patrick O'Duffy and Mr. Séan Walsh.

The Environment Awareness Bureau will cease to operate at the end of April next. An Foras Forbartha will be wound up as soon as possible. The question of a continuing working relationship between the unit and these two bodies does not therefore arise. It will be a matter for the management committee of the unit, with my consent, to decide what property, if any, it should take over from An Foras Forbartha. The new unit will be financed by grants from Subhead R — Research, Analytical and Related Services — of my Department's Vote which provides a sum of £1.750 million for research and other services in 1988. The sum to be paid to the unit in 1988 will depend on the rate of progress made in bringing the unit into full operation.'

It is intended that the number of employees necessary to enable the new unit to perform its functions will be drawn from the staff of An Foras Forbartha. The terms and conditions of these employees are being finalised and are the subject of discussions with the unions concerned. The remaining employees of An Foras Forbartha will be dealt with under the voluntary redundancy arrangements or by redeployment to other fillable posts in the public sector.

While I have not yet given any direction to the unit as to the keeping and auditing of its accounts and its finances generally. I envisage that the standard arrangements applicable to bodies of this kind will apply.