308 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for the Environment if if he will give details of the stage at which the setting up of the Environmental Protection Agency is currently; when he considers it will be partially and fully operational; and if the current financial constraints being imposed on other Departments will affect the setting up of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Johnstown Castle, County Wexford, has been designed as the headquarters of the Environmental Protection Agency, and the positions of Director General and directors of the agency have been recently advertised.

The agency will be established following appointment to these posts, and I hope that it will quickly become operational and, as envisaged, gradually take on the many tasks assigned to it by the legislation.