asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will give an assurance that the fresh-plucked turkey trade can continue indefinitely in EEC conditions.

While I cannot give such an assurance at this stage I hope that the relevant existing EEC directive may be reviewed after enlargement of the Community.

Can the Minister say what steps he has taken to ensure this review and if he has raised it at any meeting that he has had with Ministers for Agriculture of various countries of the EEC?

The Deputy is probably aware that this country, as yet, has not acceded to full membership of the EEC.

He can do nothing about it.

Just for the moment. Ministerial meetings are not the type of thing where one can stroll in and throw recommendations off one's chest just as one likes.

Is the Minister aware that the livelihood of many small turkey producers depends on the fresh-plucked trade and that the Minister should be adopting a much less casual approach?

I have already told the Deputy the position with regard to this trade until 1976 and it is not correct to assume, for some reason that I do not understand, that this is being approached in a casual way.