asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if, in view of the severe losses sustained by farmers in 1976 due to widespread disease in cereal crops, he proposes to introduce a crops disease control and prevention system to be operated by his Department.

I am having the following steps taken with a view to minimising losses from cereal diseases in 1977:

(a) Expert advice on disease prevention and control is being provided by officers of my Department and of An Foras Talúntais at meetings currently being organised by the Agicultural Advisory Service at county level.

(b) A special leaflet on cereal diseases is at present being prepared, and

(c) A monitoring system for cereal diseases is being organised by my Department and will be in operation in 1977.

Having regard to the widespread incidence of cereal disease during the last season and the consequent very serious loss arising from it, are there any special measures contemplated by the Minister or his Department for the early diagnosis of disease incidence in cereal crops?

Yes. A special monitoring team on the incidence of disease has been set up in the Department. I expect they will operate on an early warning system and tell the various advisory people at local level to look out for one type of disease or another in cereals.