Would the Minister confirm or deny if officials of his Department have had discussions in regard to the taking over of the hotels? Officials of his Department are alleged to have met with representatives of Aer Lingus recently.

I did not grasp the Deputy's question.

Would the Minister confirm or deny if officials of his Department met with officials of Aer Lingus to discuss the taking over of those hotels?

Officials of my Department meet with officials of Aer Lingus on a regular basis——

On this particular subject?

——but we will not have any say in any decisions which might be taken in regard to the disposal of the hotels as they do not come under our aegis. They used to when they were the property of CIE. Therefore, all questions in regard to the sale of the hotels should be directed to the Minister for Labour.

Therefore, no discussions took place.

I understand that the Minister does not have responsibility for the hotels in question, they are now the responsibility of the Minister for Labour, but would he not agree that he has responsibility for tourism? Therefore would he not agree that it is essential that the six hotels in the group be kept together and that he is in a position to give an undertaking in the House today that he is prepared to ensure in the event of the disposal of these hotels to any group, semi-State or otherwise, that the six hotels will be kept together so that they can continue to provide the services which they have provided in the past?

I appreciate the Deputy's efforts in this regard while he was Minister but it is my desire that the six hotels would be kept in the one group. Just as I cannot tell somebody else who is selling his house what conditions he should put on the sale of the house I cannot tell CERT what they should do with their hotels. I agree totally with Deputy Quinn when he says that they form a very important part of our tourism product and have very high standards as is indicated by the grading which has been allocated to them by Bord Fáilte. I hope they will continue to form part of our tourism product.

Question No. 11.

May I ask a very brief question?

A very brief question, as I want to dispose of another question within the allotted time if I can.

The sale of these hotels will require the consent of the Government. Can the Minister tell us if it is his intention, as the Minister responsible for tourism, to ensure that if these hotels are to be sold they will be sold as a group of six hotels and that they will not be sold off individually and therefore asset stripped?

My policy is that the six hotels should remain as a group.