asked the Taoiseach the amount of artificial manure imported into this country in each of the last three years.

Imports of manufactured fertiliser amounted to 306,000 tons, value £4.8 million in 1966, 443,000 tons, value £6.8 million in 1967 and 568,000 tons, value £9.3 million in 1968.

Can the Taoiseach say if he has had any complaints from farmers about the cost of home fertilisers or if the amount of imports affect this cost?

The complaint that I heard most recently about fertilisers was that they were being dumped here. That should not affect the cost adversely from the farmers' point of view.