asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he received a report from An Coimisiún Dumpála in respect of its investigation into the dumping of refrigerators in this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I have not yet received a report from An Coimisiún Dumpála of the result of their investigation as to whether refrigerators have been or are being dumped. I do not propose to make any statement on the matter until I have had an opportunity to study the report.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the total sales of refrigerators on the home market is about 71,000; that imports of refrigerators up to the 31st July this year are 42,209 and that continued imports at that rate would reach an annual figure of 72,000; and will he state what he proposed to do about the matter?

As I have told the House, there is an inquiry being undertaken at the moment as to whether or not dumping of refrigerators is taking place. On the matter of dumping, I do not propose to make any comment until this report is to hand.

I have already pointed out to the Parliamentary Secretary that the imports for this year will be greater than the total home market consumption. The annual sales on the home market of refrigerators by Irish manufacturers is about 22,500, and if we are going to import more than the total home market consumption what is going to happen to the Irish manufacturers in the coming year?

The Deputy's question is concerned specifically and solely with the question of dumping not with the question of imports in general. If the Deputy wishes to have questions answered in relation to imports in general, I suggest that he put down a separate question.

Arising further out of the Parliamentary Secretary's reply, I would expect him when he sees a question in relation to a specific matter to have looked into the whole matter. I would have expected more concern from him in relation to whether there will be more refrigerators imported into the country this year than the home market can consume. Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the trade estimates that a refrigerator coming in from one of the Comecon countries would have to be manufactured at £15 to be sold at the price at which it is being sold in this country? Does he believe it possible to manufacture a refrigerator for £15?

Of course, it is dumping.

This is precisely the sort of detailed technical question being considered by the Dumping Commission at the moment. We will be able to assess the situation when we have the Dumping Commission's report.

Question No. 6.

How long does the Parliamentary Secretary expect to wait for their report?

The Dumping Commission have a record of reporting with a considerable degree of expedition.

I want to pass on to another question. Deputy O'Malley is also offering.

If the Deputy wishes to frame a question about imports, he should do so. The fact that he left imports in general out of the current question is a matter for him, not for me.

I have asked a supplementary question.

Order. Deputy Faulkner, I want to get on to another question. Other Deputies are offering also. Would the Deputy please co-operate with the Chair?

I will co-operate. I simply want to ask the Parliamentary Secretary when he expects this report from the Dumping Commission. Is he going to wait until our industries here are out of business?

I understand that the report is nearing completion and I expect it should be ready for submission to the Minister within a few weeks.

If the Commission finds that there is no dumping within the meaning of that word, is the Parliamentary Secretary going to allow the situation that Deputy Faulkner has described to continue, namely, that our imports equal or exceed the domestic market per annum?

The general question of import control is a separate issue which would have to be considered in the light of our treaty obligations as members of the EEC.

In other words, the Parliamentary Secretary and the Government are going to do nothing about it and if the country get to the stage of a close-down——

Order, question No. 6.

6.