asked the Minister for Local Government when he proposes to make public the report made to him on water conservation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Water Conservation.
32.
While it is not intended to publish this report, a summary of it was made public by my predecessor in April, 1964. I may add that the principal recommendation in the report has been implemented by the setting up of the water resources division in An Foras Forbartha.
Is there any reason why more than a summary should not be published?
The report was never intended for publication. It was a report made to my predecessor as Minister for Local Government and it was not submitted in a form suitable for publication. A summary of what was in it was made public by him.
Would the Minister agree that this matter of national water conservation has recently received a great deal of publicity and that there is a wider public awareness of it? Would he not think in view of that situation that it would be opportune to publish this report?
No.
Who bore the cost of this report?
The cost was borne by the Department.
(Interruptions.)
By the taxpayers.
The report was part of the normal proceedings of the Department of Local Government.
Would the Minister not agree that in circumstances like this where there is great interest in the question of the condition of our rivers and where information has been gained as a result of the expenditure of public money, it is a principle that the information should be made available to the public at large unless there is very good reason for concealing it? Would the Minister now indicate if he has a reason, what the reason is, and, if he has not, would he indicate that he will make the contents of the report public?
A summary of it has been published.
The Minister should try to provide a better answer than that.