asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the volume and value of weekly imports of (a) fresh vegetables (b) tinned and prepacked vegetables and (c) processed food such as tinned and packet soups; and the steps that are being taken to persuade housewives to eliminate the unemployment and worsening of the balance of payments caused by these imports which are unnecessary in a predominantly agricultural country.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate in the Official Report a tabular statement showing vegetable imports for the year, January to December, 1974, and processed food imports for the period, January to September, 1974, the latest period for which such information is readily available. The import statistics requested by the Deputy are not compiled on a weekly basis. I should also mention that the statistics do not classify separately tinned and prepacked goods, nor do they distinguish between goods for direct consumption and those intended for further production.

As the Deputy is probably aware, I set up a special committee in December, 1974, to stimulate the promotion and sale of Irish goods and this committee will be endeavouring to secure a community-wide commitment towards achieving that objective. The committee have already been in touch with the Irish Housewives' Association and other women's voluntary bodies on the question of giving priority to the purchase of Irish goods and have received a favourable response.

Following is the statement:

IMPORTS of vegetables* during the period January/December, 1974.

* Including such imports intended for further production.

Imports of processed food other than vegetables†—January/September, 1974.

† Including such imports intended for further production.