asked the Minister for the Environment why the Fire Prevention Council, which is to receive £60,000 from the Exchequer this year, is not required to present its annual report and accounts to the Oireachtas but only to the Minister.
Written Answers. - Fire Prevention Council.
255.
The Fire Prevention Council is a corporate body established by the Minister on 20 July 1978 by the Fire Prevention Council (Establishment) Order, 1978 (S.I. No. 206 of 1978) made under section 3 of the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act, 1971. There is no provision either in the order or in the Act which requires that the council's annual report or abstract of accounts be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. However, it is my intention to arrange to have a copy of the council's abstract of accounts and the auditor's report thereon laid before each House of the Oireachtas when they have been presented to me in due course.
I might add that the amount which has been provided in the Estimates for my Department in 1979 as a grant towards the Council's expenditure is £30,000. An equivalent amount is being provided by the Federation of Insurers in Ireland.