asked the Minister for Energy the names and functions of the commissions, committees, inter-departmental committees, working parties and State-sponsored bodies established by him and abolished by him since taking office.

To date, no commissions, committees, inter-Departmental committees or working parties have been established or abolished by me during my term of office.

However, on 21 December 1988 I officially launched Coillte Teoranta or the Irish Forestry Board Ltd., whose function is to carry out the commercial forestry activities of the Forest Service as a State company. The board commenced operations on 1 January 1989.