asked the Minister for Finance the tariff on woven woollen fabrics imported from England at the date of coming into operation of the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreement; and its present level.

The answer is in the form of a tabular statement which, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report.

Following is the statement:

Rates of import duty on woven woollen fabrics of United Kingdom origin.

*Whichever rate is in each case the greater.

What is the ratio between the tariff now and the tariff when the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreement came into being? I take it it is the same in all cases, roughly?

No, there has been a reduction. It is difficult to answer that supplementary because there are a number of different headings.

I appreciate that but surely, since there was to be a 10 per cent reduction each year, there is some ratio between the tariff now, generally speaking, on these goods and the tariff as it was when the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreement came into being?

Yes, that is true.

What is it roughly? Is it half?

It is approximately 8 per cent as against 24 per cent. That may be misleading as the Deputy will see when he sees the reply.

In view of the Minister's goodness in telling me that it is now 8 per cent as compared with 24 per cent, what does the Minister think of the reply given to me by his colleague, the Minister for Industry and Commerce, last week that the Anglo-Irish Free Trade Area Agreement had nothing to do——

That is a separate question.

——with the difficulties of the Irish woollen and worsted industry?

My colleague's reply was very much in accordance with the facts.

All I can say is that the Minister has given me some facts for which I am grateful.