asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in view of the large increase in imports of fruit and vegetables, he will take steps to encourage the cultivation of gardens in housing areas.

10.

asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will provide facilities for the growing of fruit trees to residents in urban areas similar to those enjoyed by residents in rural areas.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 10 together.

The existing facilities to encourage the growing of fruit trees are provided by the committees of agriculture which, in accordance with the powers conferred on them by the Agriculture Acts, confine the benefits of their scheme to residents in their functional areas. Urban districts are excluded under the Acts from the functional areas of these committees.

I would, of course, welcome the utilisation of town gardens for fruit and vegetable production and my Department provide an extensive range of instructional leaflets in this regard which may be obtained free of charge on request.

Does the Minister believe horticultural producers, especially glasshouse producers, will be able to stay in business until their conditions of competition are equal to other producers in the Community?

I am afraid the supplementary does not properly arise under the questions before me.

My supplementary question refers to the large increase in imports of fruit and vegetables. I am asking the Minister if he thinks this increase will continue in view of the disadvantageous position under which the glasshouse producers are working?

I was asked if I will take steps. I said I cannot because I have not the authority to do so. Incidentally, the vocational education committees have such authority. The Dublin City Vocational Education Committee could provide the service required.

Would the Minister please answer my simple supplementary? Does he think the glasshouse producers in the Dublin area particularly will be able to continue without assistance?

The glasshouse industry has been reasonably well looked after.

Nobody else thinks so.

Would the Minister say if, apart from the leaflets he said are available, personal advisory services are available to urban dwellers who have land suitable for growing fruit and vegetables?

Yes, they are available through the vocational education committees. With regard to the provision of horticultural instruction or advice in urban areas, vocational education committees are empowered to do this by virtue of an order made under the Vocation Education Act, 1930. For this purpose they may arrange with the committees of agriculture to make the services of horticultural instructors available in urban areas under mutually agreed terms. Accordingly, such an arrangement operates in Cork and Galway cities. For many years such an arrangement existed between Dublin Corporation and the Dublin County Committee of Agriculture until the corporation refused to pay for the service.

In other words, except for Cork and Galway cities there is no other service available?

That is so.