asked the Minister for Supplies if he will take steps to ensure that a reasonable supply of shot-gun cartridges will be made available to farmers for the protection of their crops.

I would refer the Deputy to the reply given to a similar question addressed to me on the 5th March last.

Is the Minister aware that, owing to the absence of shot-gun cartridges, farmers in many districts have adopted the undesirable and horrible practice of poisoning birds wholesale? In order to prevent this pernicious practice, will the Minister distribute some cartridges for the purpose of destroying birds, because not alone destructive birds, but perfectly innocent birds are being poisoned wholesale?

I should like to be in a position to distribute more cartridges, but, unfortunately, they are not there.

Why were not more cartridges made available during the wheat-growing season?

We had not the materials with which to make them.

Self-sufficiency for ever!

How are we to repel an invasion if we have not shot-gun cartridges?

We will put you in the front line.