asked the Minister for Energy the total amount of money allocated to the Nuclear Energy Board this year; and the amount already taken up by the board.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Nuclear Energy Board Allocation.
7.
The total amount of money allocated to the Nuclear Energy Board for 1986 is £816,000. The amount already taken up by the board is £626,000. The balance is expected to be drawn down before the end of the year.
Why was there such delay in providing the extra funding which he moved in the recent Estimates in view of the Chernobyl disaster and the length of time since that disaster?
I do not accept that there has been a delay in relation to the provision of funds. I took a memorandum to Government after the Chernobyl disaster and got Government approval at the earliest opportunity. The Deputy will be aware that I came before the House recently and explained how the funding was made available. It was done by internal transfers from the different subheads in the Estimate for my Department. Much of the spending is on very technical equipment and I assume that there is a lead-in period between ordering and delivery of highly sophisticated nuclear monitoring equipment. I must stress that no delays are occurring other than those caused by the lead-in period.
When did the Department instruct the Nuclear Energy Board to proceed with plans for alternative premises and a new laboratory? Why was it necessary to take money out of the western package electrification scheme when a figure of £626,000 had been taken up by the board so far this year?
I do not have the date when the instructions were given either in regard to new premises or equipment but if the Deputy wishes to pursue that question I will get him the information. With regard to the western package I should like to state that it became obvious to me about a month or six weeks ago that the money available for that project in my Estimate was not going to be spent in 1986 and I felt it appropriate to use it in an area where we needed to spend money on equipment. Notwithstanding the reduction in the subhead for the western package this year the money will be available next year if applications are received.
From the figures the Minister has given it appears that there is still £200,000 not taken up by the Nuclear Energy Board and there is only a month left in 1986. I wonder why it was necessary to take the money from the western package?
I assume that, in keeping with normal commercial practice, the board will not pay for the equipment until it is delivered.