asked the Minister for Justice if in view of recent actions by the Revenue Commissioners and the Taoiseach's statement on the subject to the second last Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis, he will make a statement on the position with respect to contraceptives for personal use.

Under section 17 of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1935, the importation of contraceptives, whether for sale or not for sale, is prohibited. This prohibition is additional to and distinct from a provision in the same section which makes their sale or their importation for sale a criminal offence.

Does the Minister's statement mean that the Taoiseach's assurance on this matter at the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis was therefore incorrect and that the freedom of individuals to import contraceptives for their own use does not in fact exist—contrary to the assurance the Taoiseach gave?

I gave no such assurance. It is a complete misrepresentation of what I said.

It is a complete misrepresentation of what the Taoiseach said. What he was speaking on was not importation or sale but use of contraceptives.

Deputy FitzGerald ought to read his documents more carefully.

He might be able to do so if he took the hair out of his eyes.