asked the Minister for Finance if, in view of the present drive to Buy Irish he will explain why there has been a recent distribution of pencils made in England to all State Departments; why Government Departments use imported pencils if such pencils can be obtained from Irish factories; when the British pencils recently issued were purchased; if he will give their cost compared to that of Irish made pencils; and what steps he is taking to ensure that Government Departments will give a lead to the public in the national campaign by buying Irish themselves.

There has not been any recent distribution of pencils made in England to all State Departments. The pencils referred to by the Deputy are of a special hard quality known as H grade which were purchased in October, 1963, and of which some are still in stock. They are issued to Departments only on special requisition and their consumption is relatively insignificant. It would be contrary to the public interest to disclose the relative costs.

The reasons for the purchase on occasion of pencils made in Britain were explained in my reply to a similar question on the 1st December, 1960.

Government Departments have been instructed to give special preference to Irish-made goods for the duration of the British surcharge on imports.

Is it not a fact that within the past ten days large quantities of these pencils have been distributed amongst Government Departments, pencils made in England by the Venus Pencil Company, with the number 780 on them and underneath that stamped the words "Oifig an tSoláthair"? Can the Minister say for what reason are State Departments supplied with those pencils that have been manufactured in England and has any effort been made to have State Departments supplied entirely with Irish-manufactured pencils?

Why did the Deputy not listen to my reply? I have explained the position to him. The Deputy asked a question and I gave him the answer.

I want to know why State Departments cannot be supplied with pencils of Irish manufacture?

As I explained, it is a special type of hard pencil, H grade, used I believe principally for writing in the rain and used by people who are out of doors. Guards, staff on the Land Project, and such people, use them. They are not made in this country, and anyway they were purchased two years ago.

Why is it necessary for the Garda stations and the Land Project offices to be supplied with pencils made in England? What is the difference between writing the records of the Land Project offices and and of the Garda stations with Irish-made pencils rather than English-made pencils?

Is this a speech?

Can the Minister justify the statement that the Land Project offices must use——

The Deputy has asked that question more than once.

I have tried to give the Deputy an honest reply and then he ridicules the answer in supplementary questions. That particular type of pencil is not made in this country; they asked for it two years ago and the pencils were purchased from Britain.

Can they be made here now?

I do not know. They will not be bought again.

Can I have a guarantee——

I will give the Deputy no guarantee. Fine Gael are getting so anxious about everything that they want guarantees——

It is time this hypocrisy was stopped.

The hypocrisy of Fine Gael talking about Irish-made goods!

If a foreign-made pencil——

Is Deputy Flanagan going to be kept in order?

It is bad enough without the Tánaiste coming in.