asked the Minister for External Affairs whether he is in a position to state the nature of the proposals which the Government propose to submit to the E.C.A. for the utilisation of the generous grant of £7,500,000 given to this country by the United States.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - E.C.A. Grant.
I am not yet in a position to answer the Deputy's question. The utilisation of the Grant Counterpart Fund is at present, and has been for some time past, receiving the active consideration of an inter-departmental committee to whom the Government confided the task some months ago. I expect to receive the report of this committee very shortly and, until I receive it, I cannot anticipate their findings nor what action the Government may take in the light of those findings.
If the Deputy will be good enough to put down his question again in about a month or six weeks' time, I hope to be able to give him an answer.
I should mention, incidentally, that the sum available in the Grant Counterpart Fund is not £7,500,000, but approximately £6,000,000.