asked the Minister for Defence whether he is prepared to have permits immediately granted for cartridges and guns in agricultural districts, in view of the vast amount of damage being done to crops by vermin and game.

I would refer the Deputy to the reply given by the Minister for Home Affairs to a question in the Dáil on the subject of shot guns on the 8th June.

Would the Minister say if he can see his way to have these permits granted, as owing to the damage done by vermin farmers are at present much inconvenienced for want of these permits? If this state of affairs continues there will be no crops!

At the moment I am answering this question for the Minister for Defence, and I cannot say anything further than is conveyed in the answer I have read out.

Would the Minister, as an agriculturalist, admit that this is a very pressing matter, and that it is a matter of much inconvenience to the farmers? Can he see the necessity for having these permits given?

I am debarred from being an agriculturist at the moment. I could express a number of views at great length, but owing to the unfortunate circumstances that I cannot become an agriculturist at the moment, I cannot go into this matter.