asked the Minister for Health whether in view of recent complaints that certain public houses are rat-infested, and that the health authorities are prevented from dealing with this problem under the Rats and Mice Destruction Act by lack of knowledge of the facts, he will consider extending the Food Hygiene Regulations to those public houses to which these regulations do not at present apply.

The general and particular requirements of Part III of the Food Hygiene Regulations, 1950, apply to all food premises including public houses irrespective of whether they are liable to registration under these Regulations, and, accordingly, a health authority can proceed against the proprietor of a public house for not taking adequate measures for preventing the contamination of food (including drink) by rats and mice. Health Authorities have already been advised that regular supervision of all premises coming within the scope of the Regulations should be maintained.

Incidentally, I might mention that, apart altogether from the Food Hygiene Regulations, a person authorised in writing by the local authority under the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919, may enter any premises for the purpose of ascertaining whether the requirements of that Act are being complied with in relation to such premises.

There are 3 million rats in Dublin.

How many in this House?

There may be a few.

They are not in this Party, though.